PRAYER IN TRAGEDY

The Apostle Paul was so persecuted and so beaten down by his adversaries that he felt like quitting. The tragedy in his life was overwhelming. I know some of you have dealt with terrible tragedies in your life. You’ve already walked through a lifetime’s worth of pain. And then the other shoe drops. Your loved one gets ill. Your kid joins a cult …You lose your home and net worth. …Our economy & our government go full tilt! It makes you want to give up. That’s the way Paul felt in 1 Cor. 1:8-9. Take a look:

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9a)

Paul talks about a time where tragedy broke him. It was beyond his ability to endure. And he says that he despaired and felt as if he had been sentenced to death. But he doesn’t stop there. He also describes his protection against this devastating enemy of despair. The protection is: prayer to a reliable God. Take a look at vv. 9-11:

“9b. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead . . . 10. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11. as you help us by your prayers.” (2 Corinthians 1:9b-11)

Paul says that all of the tragedy had an effect on him. It brought him to the end of himself so he had to rely on the supernatural power of God. And the vehicle he used to tap into that power was what? Prayer! Look at v. 11, he received God’s help through the prayers of his congregation.

We need to be praying during these times. If you feel like you can’t make it, call someone up who knows God and pray with them. Pray, pray, pray!!! Prayer feeds your faith and protects you from despair. If you’re struggling with despair, fight it off with prayer! Fight despair with prayer!!!