Worn Out Spiritually and Emotionally?

What wears us out?

What wears us out?

What causes us distress?

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 NIV84

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

What’s the difference between hard pressed and crushed?

Hard pressed is afflicted.

Crushed is STRAIT- like a strait-jacket. Your movement becomes non-existent.

Perplexed is to be at a loss.

Despair is to be completely lost and not able to be found.

Persecuted is mistreated in a way to be driven away.

Abandoned is to be left and left completely helpless.

Struck down is to be put in a lower place.

Destroyed is to be put away for good, to perish, death.

We may feel hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and even struck down. But we are not crushed, in despair, abandoned or destroyed!

There is a quote I read recently: “The tide goes out, but it always comes back in!”

As Christians we can know this is true!

2 Corinthians 11:22–33 NIV84

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

Is this a bragging list? No it is an example and reminder of the hope we have in Jesus.

WE HAVE HOPE BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF JESUS. However, We can be ECSTATIC about that hope because HE LIVES!!!

On one hand we are constantly bombarded with stuff, but on the other, we are, with Jesus, continually upheld, caused to be victorious, and absolutely more than a conqueror!

Romans 8:35–39 NIV84

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 1:8–10 NIV84

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,

2 Corinthians 2:14 NIV84

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

Philippians 3:14 NIV84

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:12–13 NIV84

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.