“But this happened

that we might not rely on ourselves

but on God, who raises the dead. “-{2 Cor 1:9}

 

FAITH is Often Developed in the Furnace of Affliction.

Paul’s Perspective on the trials he and some others were going through INCLUDED the aspect of ” WEANING and LEANING”… to “RELY ON GOD.” God uses our trials for a purpose and sometimes it can be to wean us off self sufficiency to lean on God! Look what Paul says, “But THIS HAPPENED ...” and then goes on to show “WHY?”… “…that we might NOT rely on ourselves BUT on God…” who does what? “…RAISES the DEAD!” Can you raise the dead? Do you know anyone who can? No? So why continue to “RELY” on yourself when you have an alternative, namely GOD…”WHO RAISES THE DEAD!”   

We can read the verse, agree with it and yet we live differently, we live as though the verse says, “But this happened that we might RELY on Ourselves and NOT on God who raises the dead.”

Re read… I have changed the wording to change the emphasis on who we are to trust in versus who not to by writing, “that we might RELY ON OURSELVES… AND NOT on God!”  Think of it, that would be spiritually Insane and yet…, yet… is that how we live? The choosing to Rely on myself and not on God when difficulties arise, falling back to “leaning to your own understanding” which God forbids in Proverbs 3:6! 

Consider…

  • ABRAHAM and Sarah. Out of fear and self preservation he said that Sarah was his sister and allowed Abimelech the king of Gerer to take her. It was only God intervening that protected her. Abraham under pressure in the trial chose to RELY upon himself and not God .-{Read Genesis 20:1-7}  
  • LOT – RELIED on himself, what he saw  and chose the land, and did not RELY or consult the Lord and ended up near Sodom where the people were “…wicked and sinning greatly against the LORD.” -{Read Genesis 13:10-13} 
  • JOSHUA– And the Leaders of Israel RELIED to their own understanding and were deceived because they “did not consult the LORD.” -{Read Joshua 9:14-21}.
  • PHILIP and ANDREW – When the multitudes had gathered and Jesus told the disciples to feed them Philip RELIED on himself and concluded that six months wages would not be enough to feed the crowd, therefore it could not be done! Why not? Because he RELIED on himself and not Jesus. Then Andrew, was like a half glass full person as he looked at the situation and said, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two fish but what is that for so many?” He concluded it could not be done, the multitude could not be fed, why not? Because he relied on himself, and excluded God from the situation and therefore concluded based on himself it can not be done. Think on it, who was the One who asked about the feeding of the thousands? Jesus! Had they seen Him do any miraculous works in the past? Yes! But though in His presence they chose to RELY on themselves and lean to their own understanding and ignored Jesus! Sound familiar? WHAT DID JESUS DO? He had the multitudes sit down and the disciples feed them and give the people as much bread and fish as they wanted, so that all were satisfied, and after the disciples had served there was food left over! Listen to WHY Jesus did this,” He TESTED them for He Himself knew WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO!” ” -{John 6:6}.
  • Abraham, Lot, Joshua, the leaders of Israel, Philip, Andrew, Paul and his companions, that he writes of in 2 Corinthians 1:9  as well as you… me … can  be included in RELYING upon ourselves and Not GOD, at times!  We could heed and appreciate the words, the principle of Romans 15:4,”For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us …”… as Paul wrote regards his own trials, “afflictions” he and his companions experienced and he shared  his insight with the Corinthians, “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. “-{2 Cor 1:9}.

Trials are Teaching Ground in God’s school of faith for each of us!

The alternative to self reliance is reliance upon God! GOD is the alternative and sometimes it takes trials for us to see whom we are trusting and the  need to shift our faith off self and unto GOD! Why rely on God? What can God do? He “…RAISES THE DEAD!” 


Paul says this is the purpose of the particular affliction, difficulty, trial they had encountered to LEARN TO LEAN on God…,and His credential? He “RAISES THE DEAD!”

So it gets down to self’s IMPOTENCY verses God’s SUFFICIENCY and His RESURRECTION POWER… and Trials, difficulties can afford us the opportunity to see CLEARLY and ACT having God’s Perspective in our difficulties…WEANING and LEANING! 

WEANING;
“…this happened that we might not rely on ourselves.”

LEANING;
“…but on God, who raises the dead. “-{2 Cor 1:9} 

  • A good verse to memorize and be able to speak to yourself such as “Am I RELYING on myself or Leaning On GOD?”
  • It is a Good Prayer, “LORD, Please keep me and show me if I am leaning on my self and not You and please remind me when I am doing or tempted to do this, that I may recognize, reject it and replace it with TRUST in You! RELY in You alone, who Raises the dead!
  • A Good prayer for others also, “LORD, Please keep { put their name in here} would not rely on them-self but on You who raises the dead, in this difficulty.”  
  • THINK ON GOD…THINK ON HIM… HIS POWER…RESURRECTION POWER, TO DO THE HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE!
  • TRUST HIM! HOW? Recognize, Reject, Repent of self reliance and RELY UPON HIM and WHAT His Word reveals of Him who loves you!!

 

God weans us Off self reliance and unto Himself  because He loves us!Leaning upon Him is always better!

Sometimes Trials Help us to see Clearly, discern and act wisely which is always to “Rely.. on God who Raises the Dead!” 

 

FAITH IS OFTEN DEVELOPED IN THE FURNACE- THROUGH THE PROCESS OF…

 

WEANING AND LEANING!