In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, Paul uses the following terms to describe his situation:

• Burdened above measure, beyond strength (2 Cor 1:8)
• We despaired even of life (2 Cor 1:8)
• Hard pressed on every side( 2 Cor 4:8)
• Perplexed (2 Cor 4:8)
• Persecuted (2 Cor 4:9)
• Struck down (2 Cor 4:9)

Do any of these describe your situation? In this letter, there are some of many inspirational bible verses that point to the encouragement that we need to be triumphant in the midst of our trials.

Know God

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort 2 Cor 1:3

God is the God of all comfort. He is the source of all true and lasting encouragement and consolation.

…but our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor 3:5)

God is El Shaddai. He is the Almighty God, the all sufficient one. When we abide in Him, every need will be met.

… God who raises the dead (2 Cor 1:9)

the excellence of the power may be of God (2 Cor 4:7)

This is God who created all things out of nothing. This is the God who is outside of time and space and the “natural laws”. This is also the God who desires to have an intimate relationship with us and to show the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (Eph 1:19). This is the God who wants to fill us with His power as He pours out His Holy Spirit in and upon us.

Seek God’s comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.. 2 Cor 1:3

Our God, the God of all comfort, is able to comfort us in ALL our trials. There is not one situation, not one trial, too big or too hard for Him.  We will often turn first to family and friends, but the true source of lasting encouragement is God Himself. Spend time with Him, in prayer and in His word. Ask Him to soothe your pain, to strengthen you, to renew your mind, to keep you in perfect peace as you fix your thoughts on Him.

Lean on God for His strength

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being  from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor 3:5)

Paul indicates that he was burdened above measure and beyond strength. At the same time, He realized that he did not have the strength to get through this. We cannot get through tough trials in our own strength, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Pray for His strength and His wisdom. Ask El Shaddai, the Almighy God and all sufficient One to guide you and to lead you through this.

Know the purpose of your trial

God promises to work out everything to good for those that love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). What man means for evil, God works out for good (Gen 50:20).

Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, THAT we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead (2 Cor 1:9 – emphasis added)

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, THAT the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Cor 4:7 – emphasis added)

…always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, THAT the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body (2 Cor 4:10 – emphasis added)

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, IS WORKING FOR US a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Cor 4:17 – emphasis added)

the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, THAT we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Cor 1:3-4 – emphasis added)

In these trials, we learn our own frailty and weaknesses and learn to turn to and depend on God, who raises the dead and is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think.  His grace is sufficient for us as His strength shines though in our weakness. As we go through the trials in His strength, we live out the gospel. This shines through our earthen weak vessels so others can see Him and that He is the source of our strength, hope and joy. He also molds our character and refines us in these trials to be more and more like Him. God then equips us to comfort those in ANY trial, not just those trials we have personally endured.

Know God, seek His comfort, lean on Him for strength and know that that God is working out your situation, even if it causes heartache, for eternal good. Reflecting on these truths, we can see that even if we are in rough circumstances, all is not lost and we need not lose heart and we can say that even if we are

• hard-pressed on every side…we will NOT be crushed
• perplexed…we will NOT despair
• persecuted…we will NEVER be forsaken
• struck down…we will NOT be destroyed

In our trial, may we focus, not on the things that are seen and temporary, but on the things that are unseen and eternal (2 cor 4:17-18).

These are just a few inspirational bible verses taken from the first four chapter of 2 Corinthians. Many other truths are revealed in Scripture that will encourage and strengthen you through your difficult circumstance. Spend time in the Word and be blessed, yes, even in the midst of a trial.

Life is sure to throw many curve balls at us. We will experience grief, suffering, illnesses, broken hearts, disappointments, uncertainty and many other forms of physical and emotional pain. Can one be joyful in all circumstances? The answer is a resounding YES!! Let us look at one of the many inspirational bible verses that remind us why this is so true.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love . Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9)

So why do we rejoice? Let us look at some of the truths about our trial.

No trial lasts forever and in the scale of eternity is a fleeting moment. The trial, the difficult season is “for a little while”. While we are in the trial, we may be tempted to groan and ask “How long Lord?” The Apostle Paul describes trouble as “light affliction, which is but for a moment” (2 Corinthians 4:17a).

Our God is good, is sovereign and is love, and He only allows the trials that are necessary for our eternal good. Difficulties are not indiscriminately allowed to hit us. We encounter these challenges “if need be”.

This does not mean that we will zip through the trial clicking our heels. We will experience pain and grief. We will still be “grieved by various trials”.The King James Version describes it as “heaviness”.

These trials prove out and strengthen our faith. Our faith brings us an eternal treasure whereas the trials and all earthly treasures and comforts will pass away. Our momentary light afflictions are “working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17b). Our treasure is Christ and as we go through the trials we keep our eyes on Him, knowing He will see us through, and we look forward to the day of glory when we will see Him face to face. Keeping our focus on Him, on the prize that is ahead, we rejoice with “joy inexpressible”!

This joy is only yours if you have a personal relationship with Christ. A life apart from Christ is meaningless and ends in destruction. You need a relationship with Christ. Discover the wonderful treasures that are to be had when you accept Him as Lord and Savior.

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Job dealt with ALL of these at the same time. Seeing how Job endured has been a real lesson for me and I thought I’d share this as we are all sure to face our share of trials.

Now nothing that I have ever gone through can ever compare to what Job endured. In a quick series of events, all in one day he lost several servants, then his camels, his sheep and the biggest blow of all, his children. As is that was not enough, he then was plagued by painful boils all over his body.

As he went through his suffering, his relatives failed him, his servants started ignoring him, his wife, who told him to curse God and die, found his breath repulsive, he got no respect from anyone, not even children. Three of his friends who came to mourn with him, intending to comfort him, accused him of having brought all of this on himself as he must be harboring some evil, perverted, un-confessed sins. Job, the man that they accused as some vile creature, is the one that God Himself describes as blameless and upright, one who fears God and shuns evil.

Here is a man who has lost his children and grieves alone. His wife is certainly not his helpmate – he will find no comfort in her. His friends, though well intentioned are adding insult to injury. He is financially ruined. He is in constant physical pain and he is ignored and ostracized. It is no wonder that he is deeply depressed. His grief, his despair, his pain leads him to curse the day that he was born. He describes his grief as being heavier than the sand of the sea. He longs for death….but it does not come. He loathes his life. His pain is more than I have experienced…and even if I try to put myself in his place, I am sure my imagination falls short.

He isn’t feeling God in this trial.

“Look, I go forward, but He is not there,

And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;

When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.” Job 23:8-9

That I can relate to. There are some trials where you feel God’s arms carrying you and His presence sweetly soothing your pain. But there are some trials, where you don’t sense the presence of God. You feel as if He is silent and cannot be found.

Yet, in all this, Job’s very next sentence in v 10 is such an inspirational bible verse …

But He knows the way that I take;

When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Even though Job didn’t feel God’s presence, He knew God was with him. He was also confident, that he would come out of this trial victorious. What made him sure of the victory? I think the verses that immediately follow, give us insight into Job’s confidence.

My foot has held fast to His steps;

I have kept His way and not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;

I have treasured the words of His mouth

More than my necessary food. Job 23:11-12

Job remained steadfast, remained obedient, and stayed in the Word. He treasured the Word more than his necessary food. I remember at a Third World concert in Jamaica years ago, when the crowd was rocking, a band member said to the crowd, “Boy unnu nicer than cook food!!” (Translation: Boy, you are nicer than cooked food). I am one of those Jamaicans who love my “cook food”. If I craved the Word more, ensuring that I never missed an opportunity for a spiritual meal, in any of my difficulties, which pale in comparison to Job, my actions or words would be more likely to bring honor to God, than dishonor to His name.

For those of us in the trial, may we hold fast to His steps, keep His way, treasure His word so we can say with confidence “ when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold”.

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