Sharing Our Weakness

My dear son,

You can seek me even on days when your inner strength feels small. Paul did not hide the hardship that had brought him to despair of life itself. He told the believers and reached out for their help in prayer.

You need not think you must always stand alone and appear unshakable. I am the God who raises the dead, and the Father on whom you may depend. There is no shame in receiving help from other people, either.

If your day has been peaceful, let us give thanks. When you need help, share your circumstances with someone trustworthy. I want you to learn more than how to endure alone; I want you to live in love, leaning on one another.

With all my love,
Your Father

2 Corinthians 1:8–11

WEB

8For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.
9Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
10who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us,
11you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.

A short reflection

Paul recounts affliction in Asia that made him despair of life, testifies to God's deliverance, and asks the Corinthian believers to help through prayer.

World English Bible (WEB) · Public DomainRead the chapter