Troubled On Every Side

2 Corinthians 4: 8 ¶ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Troubled on every side.  Perplexed.  Persecuted.  Cast down.  Are you feeling like this?  I know I have felt like this.  Looking at the other half of these statements, it says, yet not distressed, but not in despair, but not forsaken, and not destroyed.  I have to admit I do feel like I am distressed, in despair, forsaken and nearly destroyed.  Have you been there too?  

However, as I look back at those times when I have been in the pit, I see God has brought me out of it.  I see that He has shown me more of what it means to be identified with His death and that He has come through victorious in my life in the past.  

So what about the present?  My friend, if He has done it for us in the past, He will be faithful and He will bring us through it in the present as well.  

He will answer our prayers.  Maybe not always in the way that we expect, but He will give us what we need again.

Dear Father, Many are the troubles that surround us.  We thank You for Your faithfulness to us in the past and we pray that you will help us to trust You to be faithful to bring us through it now.  Amen.