Paul said...
"...we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:"
I know some of you have been there....maybe not in the way the Paul was....but yes, despairing of life. I'm sure I have also come close to this point. Once when I had not slept for days (not even one tiny bit) and I was so exhausted, I decided to take a sleeping pill although I was afraid to because I didn't know how I might react to it. I remember basically praying, "Lord, if I don't wake up, that's o.k. I'm ready to die and be with you." Yet.....for the most part I probably haven't been quite where Paul was with his many trials and persecutions piled on top of one another as well as his great "burden" for his "children". His tears were for the disciples under him...mine for my children, my disciples under me.
I looked up some of these words....and was impressed with the weight of the phrases "out of measure" and "above strength".
"A throwing beyond....far more exceeding".....
"force...(miraculous power)"...
So in other words, Paul was at a place in his life where only a miracle could change things!
I'm so so happy for Joel 3:16..."but the LORD will be the HOPE of his people..." and Ps. 147:11..."The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that HOPE IN HIS MERCY." Sometimes that's all that we can do....HOPE in His MERCY!!! :)
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