at my end ... in the end

‘We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself’.

II Corinthians 1:8

In this text, Paul is writing to the church at Corinth and communicating the challenges that he faced and the impact it had on him.

 

This morning, I can fully relate to how Paul might have been feeling. Mine is not one of religious persecution however. Mine is an issue of life in general and what you do when multiple storms are raging at one time.  While, intellectually, we may know what we need to do – emotionally, we can become overwhelmed with the task of actually doing it.

Last week – on Thursday, July 4^th – I was visiting with my mom when she had a stroke. I am so thankful that my oldest son was there with me. Subsequently, we found out that she has had no less than four strokes in the past week. Currently, she is still hospitalized and it has been completely overwhelming. It is so difficult to see your loved one with diminished capacity and struggling through challenges. Add to that concerns with quality of care, family relationships, my college classes, managing my household, job responsibilities and my own health concerns – and I feel that I have reached that place which Paul wrote of, the place of being under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure.

Recognizing that I am completely at the end of my strength, my prayers have been condensed to: Father, give me strength … PLEASE!

Paul went on to state that he had felt that they had ‘received the sentence of death’. However, his faith remained strong as he declared, ‘But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.'  II Cor. 1:9-11

Today – I am requesting that you help me by your prayers.

There are days when encouragers need encouragement.

Yet I do know and hold onto the truth that ...

My current situations and circumstances do NOT change His character.

When I am at my end ... in the end ... He is still faithful, constant and true:

 

‘Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.’  Ephesians 3:20-21

‘No Storm Lasts Forever – Every Storm Must End’