Articles
Perplexed, But Not Despairing
Even Paul got discouraged. As ironic as it is, I’m often encouraged by this fact. For all of the great things Paul accomplished in the Lord’s kingdom (and he would always give God credit for it all—1 Cor. 15:10) he was still struggled through life with periods of human weakness.
It appears that he needed courage to continue preaching at Corinth, for in Acts 18:9-10 the Lord said to him in a vision: “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” We probably would have never guessed Paul would be afraid in Corinth because all things seemed to be going well; after all, Crispus and many other Corinthians were believing the gospel (v. 8). Even when the Jews resisted, Paul responded with what seems like conviction and determination (v. 6-7). But God knew Paul’s inward struggles. Indeed, how often we seem so strong on the outside but inside we feel the weight of persecution and temptation; even the strongest of us need the Lord’s encouragement.
Later, after Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem the Lord appeared to him again. This time, Jesus not only spoke to him but “stood at his side” (compare 2 Tim. 4:17) and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also” (Acts 23:11). Paul knew well in advance he would suffer bonds and afflictions when he arrived in Jerusalem (the Holy Spirit had made this abundantly clear on multiple occasions [Acts 20:22-23; 21:10-11]), but he made up his mind—he was ready to even die for the name of the Lord Jesus! Yet again, this bold apostle needed reassurance from the Lord. Jesus told him this was not the end of his course; he must continue. Surely, most of us would have needed courage had we been in similar circumstances, uncertain of our future.
As Paul looks back upon another occasion in his life, he openly tells the Corinthians of his despair and discouragement: “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves…” (2 Cor. 1:8-9a). Perhaps he refers to his experience in Ephesus when the whole city would have easily torn him to pieces (see Acts 19); we don’t know for sure. But Paul says he “despaired even of life.” That’s pretty low, by my estimation.
In the same letter Paul speaks of his “thorn in the flesh” which tormented him (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Considering that it was given because of the surpassing greatness of his revelations to keep him from exalting himself, this thorn was no minor issue. This is why Paul pleaded and implored with Jesus three times to be freed from its agony. I wonder if this ever discouraged him.
Paul knew what it was like to be “in the dumps.” Read 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 and 11:23-33 sometime to see the things he suffered to preach the gospel. And this brings us to the point of this article: considering everything Paul went through as an apostle, even discouragement and depression, gives us a far better appreciation for what he says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10:
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that he life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
For all he suffered, he never stopped pressing on. He suffered discouragement, but he refused to yield to it. He did not give in. This is the lesson for us: we may get depressed sometimes, but we do not have to be overcome by it. Keep going. Remember the endurance of Jesus. The Lord who Himself suffered was with Paul every step of the way, and surely He is with us too.
