Well, this of course, is one of the questions that people ask especially during times of great difficulty and trouble in their lives.
In this passage, Paul does not ask the question, but he does explain in great detail what happened to him when he was in a very difficult situation, and his explanation is very helpful to us in our own times of trouble.
Please notice what Paul says in 2nd Cor 2:8 "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: That we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life"
In the Amplified version of the Bible, it says, "we were so utterly and unbearably weighed down and crushed that we despaired even of life" 2nd Cor 2:8,
Going on, Paul says in verse 9, Paul says, Indeed, we felt within ourselves that we had received the very sentence of death"
By the way, Paul does not give us the specifics of the trouble which came to them, but we know itwas while they were in Asia, that is on one of his missionary journeys recorded for us in the Book of Acts.
Now, here 2nd Cor 1, is Paul's answer to why the Lord had allowed this trouble to come into their lives. It's in the last part of verse 9. And, again, from the Amplified version, it reads,
"But that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of God Who raises the dead.
So, Paul had come to understand that God's purpose in all of this trouble, was to help Paul and his ministry companions not to trust in themselves, but in God.
Sound familiar? Of course. The Bible is chock full of stories and teaching for us to trust in God and not ourselves. But, what sometimes happens to us, is that we do trust in ourselves , and it takes the loving hand of our Great God to remove those things which we are trusting in, and then, when we have nothing to trust in, we can once again place our trust back in Him.
So, you may be going through some very painful troubles in your life at this time. Perhaps it's an illness, or it's a financial matter, or maybe it's work related, or it has to do with a relationship with others, or something in your extended family, and or the family of God in your church body.
Which ever it is, there is perhaps some comfort and consolation and explanation for you in today's little devotional. I pray so.
May God's great grace be upon you today in abundance.
Many blessings to you.
Bob Grenier
