“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too…For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.”

2 Corinthians 1:5, 8 ESV

Paul experienced a good despair. Despairs serve to drive us from human energy and ability, confidence and hope. Soon we find ourselves either ready to die, or resting in God.

We may never know the trials that Paul had to endure. But his example is that even at the point of despair even if life, he can experience the comfort of Christ. Sufferings are one side of a coin in this age, and the flip side is an equal or greater comfort.

But let us not regret to enter despair of it leads us to Jesus. If we end up in Jesus then despair has served its purpose.

May we enter despair before we need to. May the exercise of giving up on self, wisdom, confidence, power and effort come to a swift end so that this next verse would come true:

“Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

2 Corinthians 1:9 ESV

The sentence of death should not scare us. Death is scared of God. Reliance on ourselves is the wrong kind of death. May God liberate us from self reliance and place us firmly on the path of despair of self.