DIFFICULTIES
30th August 2019
READ: 2 Corinthians 1:5-10
“ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 1:5
I remember praying to the Lord to relieve me of some of the complicated and diverse pressures I was experiencing in the ministry. Although people may not know, there are several times I have despaired of life.
I would long for Heaven because I did not want to be here anymore. I could clearly see how the day of one’s death would be better than the day of one’s birth (Ecclesiastes 7:1b). Many of Solomon’s sayings made a lot of sense to me. Then I discovered a verse, 2 Corinthians 1:8, in which Paul the apostle described his problems. He described being “pressed out of measure, above strength”. He explained how he had even despaired of life. I was quite surprised that Paul would describe such pressure, but I was encouraged to know of someone who experienced my predicament.
I realized that it was another of the same kind of spirit that attacks ministry at a certain level. After this, I also discovered how Peter was pressurized by the enemy. Jesus told him, “Satan wants to sift you as wheat.” “Sift” comes from a Greek word “siniazo” which means to shake in a sieve and to cause inward agitation and try one’s faith to the verge of overthrow. Then I realized that both Paul and Peter had experienced “siniazo”. God had allowed them to be brought to the brink.
It is encouraging to meet another of your kind. You have much in common and your problems are similar. God is able to help you in the same way that He helped the other.