“We are confident that as you SHARE IN OUR SUFFERINGS, you will also SHARE IN THE COMFORT GOD GIVES us. We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, 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. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and LEARNED TO RELY ONLY ON GOD, who raises the dead. And HE DID RESCUE US FROM MORTAL DANGER, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.” (2 Corinthians 1:7-11)
There is no record of what happened in Asia, exactly, though it likely involved OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL of Jesus in some way. Paul spent some time in Ephesus, which was in the region of Asia. It’s possible the event happened there. Whatever happened, IT BROUGHT PAUL TO HIS KNEES. He describes himself and his team as being utterly burdened beyond their strength and SURE THEY WOULD DIE: they “DESPAIRED OF (gave up hope on) LIFE ITSELF.”
There were some who felt an apostle should not suffer so much IF HE TRULY REPRESENTED CHRIST, we see here another benefit of Paul’s suffering. He understood how deep pain and a sense of loss can go. As he wrote in the previous verses, he had RECEIVED GOD’S COMFORT IN THE WORST AFFLICTION; as a result, he could understand and OFFER GOD’S COMFORT to anyone who was experiencing something similar.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham