HOW CAN HE TAKE IT?

HOW CAN HE TAKE IT?

I am thinking of the Apostle Paul.  From the very start of

his Christian life it was a constant fight.  A few days after

Paul's encounter with Jesus God sent Ananias over to pray

for Paul.  God told Ananias when he sent him to Paul;

"And I will show him how much he must

suffer for my name's sake."

(Acts 9:16 NLT)  

If you have read the book of Acts you know that from

the day Paul became a Christian and he begin to speak

out for Christ the Jews tried to kill him.  In fact they kept

trying to kill him in one way or the other thought out 

Paul's entire life.   They would follow him from one town

to another staring up trouble for Paul.

Is it any wonder when I begin reading in 2  Corinthians

Paul said;

"We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond

our ability to endure, and we thought we

would never live through it.  In fact, we

expected to die.  But as a result, we stopped

relying on ourselves and learned to rely on

God, who raises the dead.  And he did rescue

us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us

again."

(2 Corinthians 1:8-10 NLT)

Being as I have lived past my three score and ten

years.  Even well past my four score years I can

so well relate to Pauls comment in 2 Corinthians

chapter five.

"While we live in these earthly bodies, we

groan and sigh, but it's not that we want

to die and get rid of these bodies that

clothe us.  Rather we want to put on our

new bodies so that these dying bodies will

be swallowed up by life." 

(2 Corinthians 5:4 NLT)

So where does Paul go when in a life that is 

constantly trying to destroy him when he is 

discouraged?

"But God, who encourages those who

are discouraged, ..."

(2 Corinthians 7:6 NLT)

Yes, I was sorta at a low point when I read over

all this.

"BUT GOD".

Where do you turn when you are discouraged?