In our darkest hours
In our darkest hours we can feel abandoned.
The apostle Paul certainly experienced difficult times. In his own words:
“I've worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time. I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day.
In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (The Message)
Did he feel abandoned?
If you read 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 you will find that Paul ‘delighted’ in hardships because it was then that he felt the power of Christ: “for when I am weak I am strong.”
We will all have dark times. In those times we may be strengthened by the promises of the Father and His son.
Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. Matthew 28:20
And God said, ““I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5