Dead Ends Are Part of God’s Plan

In summary of 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, it says "You ought to know 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 and it was all over for us and we expected to die.  But as a result it was the best thing that could have happened.  Instead of trusting in our own strength to get out of it, we were forced to trust and rely totally on God.  It turned out to not be a bad idea, since God is the one who can raise the dead!  And He did it, He rescued us from certain doom.  We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.  You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation - I don’t want you in the dark about that either.  Many will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety."

Bottom Line:
Paul shares an example of what appeared to be no hope, intimate death (he tells how they were crushed and overwhelmed beyond their ability to endure and that they thought they would never live through it, expecting to die.)  So instead of trusting in their own strengths to get out of the trouble, they instead forced themselves to trust and rely totally on God.  God is the one who can be trusted, He can raise the dead if he wants.  Paul explains how after putting all of their trust in Him, He then rescued them from certain doom.   As a result they have learned to place their confidence in Him.  Paul explains that we too can place our confidence in Him, and He will rescue us as well.  Also Paul explains that praying for others helps in part of God’s rescue plan.  It gives us a chance to ask God and to see Him deliver.  

What this means to me:
God wants me to trust and place my confidence in Him and Him alone.  God can and will deliver me via His way or means.  I must realize that God is more interested in developing me than making me comfortable, so times of discomfort and uncertainty will occur.  So when I face situations that look hopeless or beyond my control, I should first consider myself lucky, I’m in good company (Paul and the early disciples experienced the same things.)  If God can raise the dead physically, he can certainly raise any dead situation I can come across.  I’ll also need to realize that God will often let a problem that seems impossible occur in order to make me realize that I need to rely and put my hope in Him, otherwise I’ll rely on myself and not think to include Him.