Overwhelmed (#127 of 365+)

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a
way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Today’s devotional offered some good news, some bad news, and then the best news of all. First, the good news… The apostle Paul promised believers in today’s verse that we will always be able to say no to sin. We’ll never encounter a temptation without “a way out”. In another letter, the apostle Peter said: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness [so that] you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Paul and Peter agreed a Christian filled with the Holy Spirit has been freed from the bondage of sin and is actually capable of living sin-free. Incredible!

But the bad news about this verse, Joni very clearly explained, is the promise applies to temptation but not to trials. There is no guarantee that a believer won’t be trapped into a corner or pushed beyond his limits. In fact, it’s virtually guaranteed that he will encounter difficult and painful trials. This was such a constant concern for the early church that apostles often wrote letters to address it. They were able to offer words of hope and encouragement that coupled the frightening thought of trials (the bad news) with the knowledge of their Savior (the best news of all). They promised one day every believer will look into the loving and approving face of our Lord Jesus Christ and realize it had been worth it all.

“If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:20)

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12)

After surviving martyrdom and being exiled to the Isle of Patmos, John wrote down Jesus’ words to Smyrna: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Again, the bad news first (“you will suffer”)… followed by the best news of all (you can trust God to keep his promise).

In my Blogger "About Me" section, when I tried to explain why I was committing to these daily devotionals, I chose to describe my feelings of discouragement with the word “overwhelmed”. Looking back on it now I realize my choice of words revealed my spiritual health at that time. According to my trusty thesaurus, similar words I could have chosen include: defeated, crushed, beaten, overpowered, and even… conquered. I actually felt conquered by my feelings and circumstances. But, after listing events that could crush any believer’s morale and put them on the defense (trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword) General Paul, formerly of Tarsus, led the battalion to victory by shouting, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Don’t believe the lies of the enemy. We can’t be overpowered when we remember the Almighty God of the universe is on our side.

“Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)

Lord, draw me closer to you every day. May I be more like the apostles Paul, Peter, James, and John—completely convinced of your power and love—so no circumstances will ever make me feel overwhelmed like that again. Amen.