Sometimes what the Bible doesn’t tell us is as important as what it does tell us. Such is the case in 2 Corinthians, one of the Apostle Paul’s most poignant letters.

He begins chapter 1 by telling us:

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.”

In this introduction to the letter, Paul explains one reason for our trials. God can comfort us as believers so we can comfort others who may not know Him. In this way, they may then come to know Him through our comfort.

Paul continues in verses 8-10:

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch as we despaired even of life; but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.”

In these verses, Paul recounts a recent and horrific event that had happened to him in nearby Asia. Whatever it occurred after his first letter to them and they apparently had some knowledge of it. So he doesn’t go into any detail. They did not, however, know of the severity of the event.

What happened to Paul?

There are many theories as to what may have happened but ultimately no one knows.

• It may have been a terrible civil war in which Paul was caught in the middle.
•  It may have been a horrific plague as several occurred about that time and proximity.
• It may have been a time when he was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death.

Scripture doesn’t tell us because what happened is not as important as the great Apostle’s perspective through the trial.

When he tells us in verse eight that he was pressed out of measure, above strength, so that they despaired even of life. He stated that whatever the circumstances were there was no way out, no path forward, and no hope.

Life as he knew it, even the ministry to which God had called him had come to an abrupt end. From Paul’s perspective death was the only way out. Some commentators think that his condition was so dire that he even welcomed the thought.

God is our only hope

Verse 9 begins with the word “but”, meaning that he caught himself and realigned his thinking. The purpose of this sentence of death situation was that he should not trust in himself to find a solution, but rather in God who raises the dead.

He was helping the church at Corinth to see that God can allow and even create circumstances in the lives of believers so dire, so hopeless, and so bleak that we realize that He is our only hope. Even if this worst-case scenario played out to its conclusion his hope was still in God alone. (Job reached the same conclusion in Job 13:15.)

In verse 10 Paul concludes his update to the Corinthian church of this cataclysmic event in his life by telling them that his God delivered him from what could have been so great a death. And that He would continue to deliver him.

We endure trials to help others endure them

Through that terrible trial, Paul was certain that there was no hope. But God did deliver him, was still delivering him, and would continue to deliver him. Paul was more confident than ever of God’s total and complete faithfulness past, present, and future.

Going back to verses 2-3, Paul realized God sovereignly allowed him to go through that terrible ordeal. The trial helped Paul realize that God was his only source of hope.

That way, Paul could then offer that hope to the church at Corinth. Two thousand years later, his letter still brings encouragement and hope to believers everywhere.

The Myth of Continuity

There’s a concept called “The Myth of Continuity.” Simply stated, it says that today is going to be pretty much the same as yesterday. And tomorrow will most likely be the same as today.

Most people like the security that this concept affords. Most people don’t really like change—at least change that we don’t control and initiate.

We become comfortable in our routines. And comfort often leads to complacency. Complacency can lead to spiritual lethargy, which God doesn’t like. But we can take comfort in the fact that God is the only consistently same thing in our life. We can take comfort in His unchanging nature.

Adversity helps us seek God

Jesus said that the Greatest Commandment was to: “Love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” (Mark 12:30)

Nothing will help us to fulfill that command like adversity!

Whether an individual or family situation like job loss or illness, a local tragedy like a hurricane or tornado, or even a national or worldwide pandemic there can be times when life as we know it comes to an abrupt end.

Like Paul, we may see no way out and the circumstance are so dire that it’s far beyond our control.  It’s in those times that we do well to follow his example. We look to God alone for our hope and help.

He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. As He did for Paul He will do for us. He did deliver us, He is delivering us, and He will deliver us.