We live in times when personal comfort is considered to be an inalienable right. As such, a carefree lifestyle can become our major focus. Yes, modern conveniences are wonderful, no question. But sometimes our deepest spiritual lessons are learned during a season of suffering. Today, on Insight for Living, Juxwindahl continues our biographical study of Paul, a man of grace and grit.
In this next message, we'll discover how Paul saw his hardships not as obstacles, but as opportunities for spiritual growth. Teaching from 2 Corinthians chapter 1, Chuck titled his message, Responding as Paul Responded. I think if we're going to study the life of Paul and learn something from him and his times, I think one of the great things we can learn is how to respond like the Apostle responded. The way he did is the way I want to respond. Verse 8 of chapter 1, he tells us only enough of an incident to make us hunger for more of the details.
He says, I don't want you to be unaware of the of the of our affliction. Which came to us in Asia. And the result is we were burdened excessively beyond our strength.
So that we despaired even of life. It was so severe. That he wasn't sure he could go on. Matter of fact, he uses the definite article in verse 9 saying, We had the sentence of death in ourselves. That's quite a pressure.
We had the sentence of death within ourselves so that. Look at his response. we would not trust. In ourselves. I want to give you three ways Paul responded, and I want you to write them down.
The first response is: he allowed the affliction to teach him to trust only in God. He allowed the affliction to teach him to trust only in God.
So that we would not trust in ourselves but in God. who raises the dead. Who delivered us from so great a peril of death and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. He will yet deliver us. Look at chapter 4.
Same letter. Chapter 4, he returns again to his circumstances. Verse 7. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. Meaning, the treasure of the gospel, we carry it about in our own bodies so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.
We haven't the kind of power we need to go on in life and to stay strong and to stay encouraged. Verse 8: We are afflicted. The next word to see is perplexed. Look at verse 9. Persecuted, you know what that means.
On top of everything else, we are struck down. But you know what we admire about Paul? It's not that he went through that. I mean, we appreciate the fact that he did. We admire him because of how he handled it.
Look at the ending of each phrase. We are afflicted but not crushed. These pressures don't crush us. We are without a way perplexed, but we're not despairing. We are persecuted, but we're not forsaken.
People have turned against us, but not our God. What a wonderful response. In fact, he says we are knocked down, but not. knocked out. Uh That's a great way to handle it.
Well, how could he do that? How could a man take that kind of mistreatment and respond so well? Look across the page. Verse 18, we look not at the things which are seen. But at the things which are not.
Scene. He used the trials as reminders to focus on things not seen. And let me tell you: when your heart is right, you can do that. When your heart is cold, you can't. There's one more in chapter twelve of Second Corinthians.
Paul was able to go beyond because He Learn to trust God and God alone in times of affliction. He was able to go beyond and respond well because. He could see the unseen. And it was that which Kept him going. when there seemed to be no break in the pain.
Speaking of pain, when you get to chapter 12, You've got a man who is just Given us a litany of pressures and trials beginning in verse 23 down through 28. of uh chapter 11. May I read it for you from a paraphrase? I have worked harder than any of them. I have served more prison sentences.
I have been beaten times without number. I have faced death again and again. I have been beaten the regulation 39 stripes by the Jews five times. I've been beaten with rods three times, stoned once, shipwrecked three times, 24 hours in the open sea. In my travels, I have been in constant danger from rivers, floods, bandits, my own countrymen from pagans.
I have faced danger in city streets. Danger in the desert, danger on the high seas, danger among false Christians. I have known exhaustion, pain, long vigils, hunger, and thirst, doing without meals, cold, and lack of clothing. And apart from these external things, I have had the daily burden of responsibility for all the churches. And on top of that, a thorn in the flesh was given him, whatever it meant.
Perhaps some painful head problem, some difficulty with a migraine. It could have been eyesight, some problem with his eye, eyes. whatever, he prayed three times. You've done that, haven't you? Lord, Lord, uh It's still here, and I ask you to relieve it.
I ask you to take it away three times. Verse 8 of chapter 12, he prayed that it might leave him. And the Lord answered and said, Stop. Verse 9. You're going to read the Lord's words, and then you're going to read Paul's response.
Look at the Lord's words in verse 9: My grace is sufficient for you. Because power is perfected in weakness. Did you know that? You mean I don't have to be really strong. I don't have to have a courage that matches the pain of this stigma.
Uh No, you Qualify for his power when you admit your weakness. when you admit you're not capable. And strong. And look at Paul's response. Most gladly, therefore, I will.
I will boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ. May dwell in me. I love that. Paul, we want to tell you that we admire you because you're strong. He would say, No, no, no, you don't understand.
I'm not strong. The one who pours his power into me is strong. And I get that strength when I say I'm weak. When I say I'm inadequate, I'm incapable. And it isn't a false modesty.
Nothing stinks more than false humility. Oh shit. That's not what it's about. It's not about acting like we're weak when we really see ourselves as strong. It's knowing how weak we are.
It's realizing how inadequate we are in handling the pressures and saying with our hands lifted up, Lord. I'm not able to handle this. I'm not capable in this, in the midst of this. This is beyond me. I don't have the resources needed.
To to what? I track through this trial, and so I boast about my weaknesses. Verse 10, wonderful response. I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
We don't believe that. We don't even admire people that say that. Or do we? J. Oswald Sanders in his book on Uh Spiritual leadership.
We form part of a generation that worships power. Military, intellectual, economic, scientific, the concept of power is worked into the warp and woof of our daily living. Our entire world is divided into power blocks. Men everywhere are striving in various realms, often with questionable motivation. The celebrated Scottish preacher James Stewart made a statement that is revolutionary and challenging.
When he said, it is always upon human weakness and limitation. Correction. It is always upon human weakness and humiliation, not human strength and confidence, God chooses to build His kingdom. And that he can use us not merely in spite of our ordinariness and helplessness and disqualifying infirmities, but precisely. Because of them.
It is a thrilling discovery to make, and it can revolutionize our outlook. If I had the power to do one thing, the one thing I would do is convince you that that is true. Your humiliations and your struggles and your battles and your weaknesses and your helplessness and your disqualifying infirmities make you effective. They don't keep you from being effective. It's knowing that You're not in your own strength pulling this off, but it's because of the strength of Christ.
What a great response! to hardship. I acknowledge I am weak. And I am inadequate, and the only way I can get through this is through him.
So much about Paul. How about you? Change the generation, change the year, bring it up to the 21st century. Are you afflicted and burdened excessively? Under some deep pressure.
So that you're almost to the point of despairing of life itself. You're at the perfect place to To trust him and him alone. That's the perfect place to be. Thank God you're there. It took all these years to get you there.
And now that you're there. Look up! He is here among us. to minister to you. How about feeling crushed and confused and misunderstood and beaten down, like in chapter four?
Who hasn't been there? Chances are good, that's... That's where our focus is. And so we're rolling up our sleeves thinking, how can we get back? And at least get even.
I mean, how dare he take advantage of me? I've got my rights. Yeah. Uh We we focus on the scene. Rather than Lord.
How would your son have responded?
So that's the way I want to respond. If Paul could do it, I believe I can focus on the unseen and I'm I refuse to look for a a a revengeful path. You got your own list of limitations?
Well, I imagine shipwreck is not one of them. Or, I understand, I've never been shipwrecked, thought I would be, but I haven't been. I've never been stoned, pummeled with stones like Paul. I've never been beaten with rods, I don't have a thorn in the flesh. But I've got impossible situations.
Do you? If you don't, I've got some to give you. I've got several, and I've got a number of them I just have on hold to share. If that's what you need to get yourself in this picture. And you know what?
I'm too weak to handle any of them. I'm not as strong as you think I am. In case a few of you think I am. Uh Best thing I could do is acknowledge my weaknesses. I'm often near tears.
I'm frequently discouraged. There's hardly a week that passes that I don't slump into some kind of, thankfully, temporary depression. But that happens to me about every week of my life. I don't live a life of depression, but I know what it feels like. I don't wake up every morning going, Do you there?
I mean, some nights I don't get enough sleep.
Some nights I worry myself half sick. There are times that I'm very disappointed in myself or someone else. There are times that I just absolutely weep. out of disappointment in someone. or myself.
It's about time that I faced the music that I'm exactly where the Lord planned it. Because that's when his strength Goes to work through me. You don't know the Sundays I preach sermons when I would love to have been a thousand miles away. Letting somebody else preach us sing. I have often said I'm not able to get this stuff across.
But this isn't about me. It's about all of us. I like Florence Willett's words. I thank God for the bitter things, they've been a friend to grace. They've driven me from the paths of ease to storm the secret place.
I thank him for the friends who failed to fill my heart's deep need. They've driven me to the Savior's feet and upon his love. Uh to feed. I'm grateful too, through all life's way no one could satisfy, and so I've found in God alone my rich and my full supply. I hate to tell you this because it's uh It's going to disappoint a lot of you, but I'm just now learning a lot of these things myself.
I'm just not. Coming to believe 'em. I'm coming to realize that the best thing I can do is admit my own weaknesses. And to just admit my inadequacy, my incompetence. Aye, and to be who I am.
And to say to the Lord in the midst of the struggle or the impossibility: if you don't come through, I'm sunk. If you don't make this happen, if you don't work through me, if you don't open a door, Ah. It it ain't gonna open. It's in your hands. And he says to me at those times, My grace is sufficient.
My strength is perfected. in your weakness. That's why he died. Because we couldn't die and pay the price for ourselves. That's why we need his blood to cleanse us from sin.
Amazing thing is that some of you have never trusted him.
Now that is the amazing thing. And somehow you think when you die You're going to be able to step into the heaven and Eh, you hope. And here I am. All my good stuff. And God will say, name one.
that is better than my righteousness. And you're found wanting. Don't go there. It's power heads. I'd like you to close your eyes.
Time's up. It's time for a response. Yours. I speak first to you who know the Lord. Who've tried to live your life so adequate and so?
proud and strong and capable and and uh phony. Uh isn't it Isn't it distasteful to realize How all the years you've Wasted. Playing that game. You're the only one that's being fooled. Everybody around you knows you're not.
everything you think you are. It's a great time to just say, Lord. I fought this thing long enough. Uh it's curtains. I'm closing the door on all of my All of my schemes and plans, and I'm going to open the door for you to take over.
I need strength to handle these children. I need strength to live with this wife. or this husband. I need strength to make this marriage work. I need strength to face.
Uh my employment situation. my financial stress. I need strength. I don't have it. I I'm not the one.
And Lord, you are master of every one of these and a million other situations we could name. And that's why I believe you died for me to give me what I don't have in myself.
Now, if you've never met Christ, I'll speak to you here. You have no one else to turn to. And if you breathe your last today, you're facing an eternal. Hell. Trust me.
God's word offers no in-between hope. You're done. Talk about curtains. This is the moment for you. to give your life to Christ.
What a moment. Admitting your inadequacies, admitting your sins, admitting your own life of failure. And lack. Christ said, I have come that you might have life and have it in abundance. He that has the Son has the life.
He that does not have the Son does not have the life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Today, I invite you to come to Christ. Thank you, Father, for this man of greatness. Who was just a man? But he had learned in his 60 plus years on this earth.
how to respond to life's contingencies. Thank you for his model. And thank you for these women and men who have sat and listened so carefully. to these simple statements. That it that all this trouble of life.
is the perfect opportunity to trust you and you alone. It's the perfect opportunity to focus on the unseen rather than the seen. It's the perfect opportunity to admit our own inadequacies and weaknesses. And in each case, you're the answer. Bring us to you.
In whatever circumstance we find ourselves, Father, And maybe do so. quickly. and fully. And immediately. I ask in the name of the Lord.
himself. And everyone said, Amen. Amen. You're listening to Insight for a Living and the teaching of Chuck Swindahl. We've set aside extra time to hear an important closing comment from Chuck, so stay with us.
First, I want to tell you about a powerful collection of resources called the Attitudes Bundle. In today's study in 2 Corinthians, Chuck pointed out the masterful ways in which Paul responded to conflict. His perspective on suffering was shaped not by his circumstances, but by the truth of God's Word.
So here's the question When life throws unwanted surprises our way, how do we let Scripture permeate our thoughts and attitudes?
Well, Chuck wrote a practical book on this topic. It's called Life is Ten Percent What Happens to You and Ninety Percent How You React. No matter what trial you're facing, Chuck's book will help you build inner strength. At the same time, he'll encourage you to extend grace to yourself as you struggle to overcome unwanted circumstances. We'd love to send you Chuck's book when you go online to insight.
org slash offer. You can also call us at 800 seven seven two eighty eight eighty eight. Again, the book is called Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety per cent how you react. There's one more resource in our Attitudes bundle. It's a spiral-bound 90-day reflective journal called Cultivating Joy in Life's Circumstances.
This journal provides a place for you to jot down your personal thoughts and to track your progress as you apply wisdom from God's Word. And now, here's Chuck. It may be hard for you to believe it, but we've been doing this together for. Forty-six years. We go all the way back to nineteen seventy nine.
Some of you may have been listening for three, four years, others five, ten, maybe thirty or more years. But all through these days and weeks and years, it has been my joyful privilege to open the truths of God's word and share those truths with you. What a joy, what a privilege, what an honor has been mine. The other day I had someone ask me if I had A favorite virtue, one of God's character traits, that was a standout to me more than any other. didn't take me long to answer oh, that's rather easy for me to say.
Grace. Grace, grace, God's grace, the grace to handle pain, the grace to grow in the knowledge of His Word, the grace to love others who are sometimes unlovely. the grace to forgive those who hurt us. All of that has been a part of our ministry, and I've emphasized grace regularly from one year to the next.
So thankful for this opportunity.
So grateful for you. And I mean that. For without you, I'd be talking to four walls and that wouldn't help anybody. But because you're there and so many others just like you, and many others who are not like you at all. who are often hurting.
troubled, seeking information. Struggling, whatever may be the situation, it's amazing how over the years God's Word has been opened. and they found hope to go on. Grace to endure. Peace with God, which comes only through his Son, Jesus Christ.
As we reach the end of this fiscal year for our ministry, I want to urge you to think about what the ministry has meant to you. and also remember what it can mean to others. As they turn to this Source of treasure and truth. And then I would ask you to give And to give generously, that we might continue doing what we've been doing these 46 years, and we'll move right on into the next year. with the same enthusiasm, the same joy as before.
Now, you see, you play a vital part in this, not only as our listener. as our friend, our brother or sister. but as our faithful support. See, all of the things I've named happen because there are financial provisions made for us to afford them. Airtime is costly and going to other countries is costly and Financing the ministry of those who represent us in other languages is costly.
And your gift helps make all of this happen. I cannot tell you how important it is or how grateful I am for it. I'm not going anywhere. I'm coming to you, and I'll be coming to you day after day as I've done all through these years. Thank you for what you're able to give to the Ministry of Insight for Living.
And I thank you with my whole heart. To respond to Chuck Swindahl, there are several easy ways to give a donation. Many prefer to send a check in the mail. If that's you, address your envelope to InsightForLiving. Post Office Box 5000.
Frisco, Texas 75034. To speak with one of our friendly ministry reps, call us at 800-772-8888. That's 800-772-8888. And you can give a donation online at insight.org slash donate. I'm Bill Meyer.
Join us when Chuck Swindahl describes the mental discipline that made Paul the Apostle a man of grace and grit. Tuesday on Insight for Living. The preceding message, Responding as Paul Responded, was copyrighted in 2001, 2003, and 2024, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2024 by Charles R. Swindahl, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide.
Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
