Duh Moment with Paul

Have you ever had one of those days that made you wonder if God truly knows how much you can take? Perhaps you’ve spent an afternoon reminding yourself that God will never let you be pushed past your limit? Or maybe you’re like me, from time to time you’ve had those days that convince you He has you confused with someone in, I don’t know, say Bora Bora? You know you can’t take anymore and yet He just doesn’t seem to get it? Do you remember the last time you encountered one of those situations that made you think “how on earth am I going to get out of this mess?!” You know what I’m talking about, those days that make you wonder if you are going to make it.

This morning, while reading about some of Paul’s adventures in 2 Corinthians 1, I came across some interesting comments made by Paul. In verse 8 he says, “It was so bad we didn't think we were going to make it.” Yeah, I’m right there with you, Paul. Okay so, maybe his adventures were a tad more challenging than mine, but some days they feel just the same. There have been days in my life that I’m just not sure if I am going to make it or not.

But over and over again, I find the same thing that Paul shares with us in the next verse. He says, “As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he's the God who raises the dead!” I just can hear Paul saying “duh!” under his breath as he penned this. Or thinking, “Oh man, I missed it again! It’s not about me – it’s about Him! Duh!”

I wonder how long it took Paul to truly get that lesson? Hmm … more importantly, how long will it take you and me to get that lesson? How many times has God proven Himself to us and how often do we continue to forget that the answers aren’t found in our own strength and wits?

Duh, why don’t we just trust Him? Why can’t we remember that again and again He comes through for us?

Thanks Paul, for the duh moment. Thanks for reminding this sometimes crazy, mixed up, wife and mother, that, “duh, it’s not a bad idea to trust God totally, you know the God who raises the dead!”