Absolute Nothingness To Trust In Ourselves

"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 NKJV

Sufferings and tribulations in Christian experience are inevitable and essential because through which we learn that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. They are designed for us to trust in Him only, in this age and ages to come because there is nothing to trust in ourselves. We inherently try to depend on ourselves instead of relying upon the Other Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. In any age and time and heavens and the earth, there is only One Person whom we can trust. He is Jesus Christ the Lord who is the Son of God and yet became the Son of Man.

So, our Lord Jesus said to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount to rejoice and exceedingly glad when they suffer for His sake. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12 NKJV)

Of course, sufferings are unpleasant at the time, but painful. No one likes to suffer at all. The author of Hebrews asserts that. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11 NKJV) Although it is painful and unpleasant, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.  

That is the reason Apostle Paul welcomed and gloried the sufferings he had gone through (2 Corinthians 11:22-28). He knew and we know that the present sufferings are incomparable with the glory to come. That’s the reality of life in the midst of a lot of troubles and difficulties. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18 NKJV)

The sufferings are working together for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. What a wonderful promise and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s promise is not a fantasy but fact. The eternal weight of glory is waiting for us in the Father’s house. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NKJV)

We can also glory sufferings because we know that God is able to deliver us and will do. Remember this promise of God Paul said in the Epistle to the Corinthians. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV)

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25 NKJV)