Hard Pressed but NEVER crushed!
2 July 09
I read this verse this morning and I was impacted by the words. A verse which I have read so often yet every time I read it, it still makes such a powerful impact on my life.
2Corinthians4: 8-9
‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.’
This is a verse which can easily be true in our own lives. The troubles we face, the hardships we stand before can seem so over-whelming and too much to cope with. But this also can be said about our persecuted church. The way in which they are physically threatened, tortured, and punished in so many ways.
I’m sure christian believers all over the world can testify to times in there life where things have been hard and you’ve felt hard-pressed’ and ‘struck down’ and can look at this verse and bring to mind situations in life where you are standing on the little strength you think you have left.
Yet, what I love about this verse is that however much we feel ‘hard-pressed’ and troubled, the truth and victory in which we stand upon is that We are NEVER crushed when we are in Christ Jesus, we are NEVER ‘destroyed’ when we are in Christ Jesus.
Let’s begin to pray for one another, for friends or family we know that are going through tough times right now. Remind them of this verse and help them stand in the confidence Christ Jesus brings when we turn to him.
Let us also continue to pray for the countries where persecution hits the most, for those who are trying to ‘strengthen what remains’, that they would be strong, courageous and confident that the troubles of this world are only short term but the glory and kingdom of God is Eternal.