Who Are We Relying On?

Judges 11-12; Psalms 50; 2 Corinthians 1 

“…We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.”

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

Pressure causes even the most secure of us to behave poorly. Few of us will face deadly pressure for the gospel, but regardless the degree, pressure either pushes us toward God or away from God depending on our heart-posture. When pressure causes us to cry out to the Lord for deliverance, provision, and protection, the weight can be shared by others in prayer. When we try to endure or navigate pressure in our own strength, we miss the opportunity to grow in grace. Sometimes the Lord allows the pressure to increase so we will learn not to rely on ourselves. Paul reminded us that we serve a God who raises the dead. Dead dreams, dead hopes, dead prospects, and dead relationships can all be transformed by God’s resurrection power and grace.

“Lord God, I rely on you in this test, for your glory.”