When at the Point of Death

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INNER FULFILLMENT ~
God doesn't want a perfect woman ~ Just a willing one!

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. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we
should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. (1 Corinthians
1:8,9 NKJV).

We all know that Paul was a man of faith, a man who was not easily deterred. But
things had gotten so bad that even he despaired even of his life.

None of us want to go through severe trials. None of us want to experience such
pain and hardship that we hit the point of despairing of our lives. None of us
welcome difficulty. Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that none of us want
those things, despair, pain, and hardship are unavoidable parts of life. The
good news is, there is a plus side to experiencing hardship.

Notice that things got so bad for Paul that he had to turn his attention from
self to God. The issues and problems at hand were beyond him. In that state, he could
only do one thing: trust in the God who raises from the dead. Paul's trials were
too much for him, humanly speaking, but he knew they were no match for the God
who has power and authority even over death.

Trials in our life likely have many purposes. But perhaps one of the main
purposes of trials is to show us that we can't possibly handle things on our
own; we need God's help. Apart from trials, we may be tempted to fall into an
attitude of self-sufficiency when in reality we need to always be leaning on God
and His strength.

Father, we acknowledge that we cannot handle things on our own; we need Your
help, Your strength, and Your wisdom for every situation in our lives. Help us
to always call on you in times of adversity. Help us to be quick to ask for Your
help and strength. We thank You that You have the power even over death and are
more than capable of handling each and every situation we could ever possibly
encounter. We commit every aspect of our lives to You. Amen.

Thought: Are there difficulties in your life you are attempting to handle on
your own? Acknowledge your inability to do it on your own, and ask God for His
help. Grapple with this issue in your journal. (Note: if you don't like to
journal, spend some time in prayer on this topic.)

copyright by Rebecca Livermore
www.rebeccalivermore.com