F.R.O.G.

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. (2 Corinthians 1:8-10 NLT)

FROG! Forever Rely On God! I am looking at these verses and a few things "pop" out at me. The first thing is right in the beginning where Paul says,"We think you ought to know". Why is that important? Why do we need to know that people struggle and go through hardships and trials? Can't we just hide the struggles and put on the mask and pretend everything is GREAT? Paul says "We think you ought to know" because he wants us to realize that everyone goes through trials. We are not alone in the battle.

Paul wants us to "know" because there is a lesson for us to grab ahold of. There is growth and a harvest that comes forth as the tears fall down. Don't ever miss the opportunitly to learn in the midst of the struggle. Open your eyes and hearts to whatever the Lord wants to show you.

Paul wants us to "know" that through the overwhelming trials that he endured, there was VICTORY! He has a great lesson for us control freaks...."we STOPPED relying on ourselves"! We can't fight the battle when we only use our own strength! We LOSE! Satan WINS! Bottom line!

It isn't easy and we can't just flip the switch. Let's camp here for a minute. Let's put a huge STOP sign in front of your eyes. Okay, maybe a HUGE STOP sign with FLASHING red lights....mmmm, and a LOUD siren! Envision this for a moment! Make the decision to STOP or ....die! Get the point? It's a decision...you make it.

Paul says we need to "learn to rely on God!" We are human and we need to be taught. We need to be taught by the Lord through His Word and begin to dig DEEP into His truth. We need to begin to trust someone other than ourselves. Remember, we are NOT in control anymore! Learning takes time. It takes surrender. It takes comittment. It takes endurance and perseverence in growing in His truth.

Why is it so hard to trust? For heaven's sake...He raised the dead! He parted the Red Sea! He healed the blind and the lame! He made a way for you and I to have eternal life with Him. Why do we not trust the Lord to handle our circumstances now? God is more than able!

This scripture shows us something incredible at the end that we need to pay close attention to. He says "he DID rescue us from mortal danger, and he WILL rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he WILL CONTINUE to rescue us. (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

Paul had CONFIDENCE in His God!! He had complete trust that His God was going to provide for him even though they were in mortal danger! Despite the circumstances, God would provide. Total reliance on HIM, not on Paul. Paul let it go...and he relied on the one who could handle it. I can hear Paul now " I know that I know that I know...God will provide".....

Let's remember something here....as Paul let go, he had to learn. It did not happen overnight. As Paul gave more and more of his struggles over to the Lord, he learned WHO his God was and was able to gain more trust in his Lord. Think of the PEACE and the CONTENTMENT that Paul had in all his trials.

He endured because He had Christ.