We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
To be troubled on every side yet not distressed and perplexed yet not in despair means to face pressure, trouble and confusion from every side without being crushed, overwhelmed or left without hope. This endurance is possible because the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is carried in weak earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of self, with sufficiency found in the presence and agency of the Holy Spirit filling the heart and bringing every thought into obedience to Christ. This was proved true in Paul amid continual peril, relentless opposition, exhausting toil and privation, weakness and weariness, conflict with evil men and evil angels, discouragement and the burden of the churches, yet he kept working, praying and serving to his latest hour, renewed by the path Christ walked to Calvary. Always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus and being delivered unto death for His sake means physical suffering conforms His messengers to His death, so that the life of Jesus is made manifest in their body and mortal flesh, and what works death in them brings spiritual life and health to those who believe. Trials and cares may increase until endurance seems impossible, yet believers need not fail, become discouraged or be destroyed, for present troubles are light afflictions not worthy to be compared with the eternal weight of glory, and in the final crisis when confusion is on every side God's chosen will stand approved and trusting, pressed and troubled without giving up faith.
Meaning and Divine Source
To be troubled on every side yet not distressed and perplexed yet not in despair means to face pressure, trouble, and confusion from every side without being crushed, overwhelmed, or left without hope. Hardship does not defeat, destroy, or drive to despair those who endure it, and trials need not lead to failure or discouragement. Survival through being cast down yet not destroyed reflects God's power rather than human strength, and the perplexities of the present time make such encouragement of faith especially necessary.
This endurance is possible because the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is carried in weak earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of themselves. Those who have this ministry by mercy do not faint but endure pressure without being crushed and confusion without losing hope, preaching not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord as servants for Jesus' sake. Always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus and being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake means the life of Jesus is made manifest in the body and in mortal flesh, even amid difficult decisions about duty, responsibility, wages, and leadership of sanitariums viewed in the light of Christ's self-denying example.
The sufficiency is not in self but in the presence and agency of the Holy Spirit filling the heart and bringing every thought into subjection and obedience to Christ. The believer pressed with heavy cares, disappointments, and opposition is troubled and perplexed yet kept from distress and despair by that indwelling power, which makes ministry fruitful. With that light shining in the heart, labor must correspond with professed truth in patience, kindness, courtesy, meekness, and lowliness, with the will subdued and in harmony with God, keeping calm nerves and an even temper toward ministering brethren instead of harshness, severity, and domineering ways.
This was proved true in Paul's life to his latest hour, pressed by trouble on every side without being crushed and perplexed without despairing. His Spirit-given steadfastness made the truth he preached convincing, and the heaven-born peace on his countenance won many souls to the gospel. His confidence, peace, and steadfast, joyful, forgiving spirit through persecution and the prospect of death made Christ's life visible in him even at his execution and drew others to the gospel.
Paul's Trials and Ministry
Paul's being hard pressed on every side and at a loss yet not crushed and not without hope was his own lived experience in the service of Christ, marked by continual peril, relentless opposition, attacks and abuse, exhausting toil and privation, physical weakness, illness, weariness and worn strength, conflict, persecution and danger from many sides, discouragement, the heavy burden of caring for struggling churches, and even fear that his labor had been in vain. Through all this pressure, confusion, persecution and danger he was sustained and not overcome, never losing hope, but continuing to work and pray and serve until death. His suffering followed the very path Christ had walked, and remembering Calvary renewed his resolve to keep serving.
The verse proves that his pathway, like the Christian pathway generally and the work of gospel ministers particularly, is beset with difficulties, trials and temptations, and therefore is not taken up from selfish or mercenary motives. To be troubled and perplexed in this calling means to stand in conflict with evil men and evil angels and the powers of darkness, yet not to be left in distress or despair and not to regard the case as peculiarly discouraging, because God is Helper and does not permit enemies to triumph. Though often brought low, ministers are enabled to rise and press again into the conflict with triumph or death before them.
Always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus and being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake means that physical suffering through privation and toil conforms His messengers to Christ's death, bearing in the body the dying of Jesus so that His life is made manifest in their body and mortal flesh. Those who hold this ministry by mercy do not faint under pressure and confusion, because they carry the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ in earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of themselves. What works death in them brings spiritual life and health to those who believe the truth, who endure persecution without being destroyed and without falling into failure or discouragement.
Preaching not self but Christ Jesus the Lord as servants for Jesus' sake, with that light shining in the heart, refines, purifies, elevates and ennobles the workers, cuts away fleshly lusts, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. That inward work requires outward labors corresponding with professed truth, in patience, kindness, courtesy, meekness and lowliness, with the will subdued and in harmony with the will of God. It calls God's servants to view wages, leadership of sanitariums, and all important decisions about duty and responsibility in the light of Christ's self-denying example, refusing worldly customs of large salaries and letting precept and example harmonize, while enduring hardship in the body for Jesus' sake so that His life is made manifest in mortal flesh. It likewise requires keeping calm nerves and an even temper toward ministering brethren instead of harshness, severity and domineering ways, and, as true shepherds and missionaries in hard self-denying fields, taking up the work at hand anywhere and doing it as for Jesus and reaching forward for more without fainting or becoming self-centered.
By the grace of God those who thus suffer for the Redeemer's sake receive deliverance, protection, support, consolation and fortitude to stand steadfast and endure danger and suffering. Their very preservation under manifold difficulties, dangers and trials testifies that Jesus lives and that by His power they live also. Because their physical suffering brings life to believers, believers must therefore be careful not to increase the burdens and trials of laborers by neglect and disaffection.
Encouragement in Present Trials
Trials and cares may thicken and multiply until endurance seems impossible, yet those under watchful care need not be overwhelmed, fail, become discouraged, or be destroyed. The Lord watches over them to preserve them, and to their own surprise they still stand and discover they can bear far more suffering and trial than they once thought possible.
Being troubled on every side and perplexed without despair includes being left behind, crippled and surrounded with infirmities, fiercely tempted and tried and not knowing what to make of it all, yet holding on with courage and without losing hope, laying everything at the feet of Jesus and resting content to understand hereafter, convinced that work remains to be done. It also includes outward calamities such as a sandstorm blowing down family and larger tents when center poles break, through which the prince of darkness exerts power to annoy and perplex, yet without being disturbed or overthrown, because the Lord is encamped on the ground and at work and will care for His own work, so that even giving up shelter to those left without it opens present and still greater future openings for the truth. The same keeping power sustains when worn by a crowded house, constant meetings with no quiet rest, added inconvenience, care and expense, and anxiety over sickness among dependents.
In the final crisis, with His power and light upon them, God's chosen people will stand approved of Him and trusting in Him when the wicked are enraged against them, measures are taken against them, confusion is on every side, and darkness thickens around them. To be perplexed then is to be pressed and troubled without giving up faith, crying to God earnestly day and night with a deep sense of unworthiness and entire submission to His will, praying that His will be done and asking, if it can glorify His name, to make a way of escape and deliver from the heathen round about who have appointed them to death, because His arm can bring salvation. Every one without exception pleads and wrestles like Jacob for deliverance, and though angels in sympathy would go to rescue them, they are held back because the will of God is not yet fulfilled, for they must drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism.
Afflictions come upon God's people, and workers in His cause may have to lay down their work because physical strength fails, even through death, yet pressure and perplexity do not bring crushing defeat or loss of hope, and God's purpose will still be accomplished. As laying the Saviour away in death looked to His disciples like the end of His earthly work while His death was in reality the very life of the cause He advocated, so the death of a worker does not stop God's work.
Present troubles are light afflictions, trifling in comparison with Paul's many afflictions when he was troubled on every side, perplexed and persecuted, and they give the Christian no ground for complaint. They are not worthy to be compared with the eternal weight of glory awaiting the overcomer, but are God's workmen, ordained for the perfection of character. However great the deprivation and suffering, however dark and inscrutable the way of providence may seem, the Christian is to rejoice in the Lord, knowing that all is working for good.
The chapter containing this promise holds instruction that is precious and intended for every believer to take personally, calling believers to consider what has eternal importance and to humble their hearts before God. Believers may face perplexities on every side without being overcome by them or driven to despair, and the perplexities of the present time make such encouragement of faith especially necessary.
To be troubled on every side yet not distressed and perplexed yet not in despair means to face pressure, trouble and confusion from every side without being crushed, overwhelmed or left without hope. This endurance is possible because the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is carried in weak earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of self, with sufficiency found in the presence and agency of the Holy Spirit filling the heart and bringing every thought into obedience to Christ. This was proved true in Paul amid continual peril, relentless opposition, exhausting toil and privation, weakness and weariness, conflict with evil men and evil angels, discouragement and the burden of the churches, yet he kept working, praying and serving to his latest hour, renewed by the path Christ walked to Calvary. Always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus and being delivered unto death for His sake means physical suffering conforms His messengers to His death, so that the life of Jesus is made manifest in their body and mortal flesh, and what works death in them brings spiritual life and health to those who believe. Trials and cares may increase until endurance seems impossible, yet believers need not fail, become discouraged or be destroyed, for present troubles are light afflictions not worthy to be compared with the eternal weight of glory, and in the final crisis when confusion is on every side God's chosen will stand approved and trusting, pressed and troubled without giving up faith.
Meaning and Divine Source
To be troubled on every side yet not distressed and perplexed yet not in despair means to face pressure, trouble, and confusion from every side without being crushed, overwhelmed, or left without hope. Hardship does not defeat, destroy, or drive to despair those who endure it, and trials need not lead to failure or discouragement. Survival through being cast down yet not destroyed reflects God's power rather than human strength, and the perplexities of the present time make such encouragement of faith especially necessary.
This endurance is possible because the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is carried in weak earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of themselves. Those who have this ministry by mercy do not faint but endure pressure without being crushed and confusion without losing hope, preaching not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord as servants for Jesus' sake. Always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus and being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake means the life of Jesus is made manifest in the body and in mortal flesh, even amid difficult decisions about duty, responsibility, wages, and leadership of sanitariums viewed in the light of Christ's self-denying example.
The sufficiency is not in self but in the presence and agency of the Holy Spirit filling the heart and bringing every thought into subjection and obedience to Christ. The believer pressed with heavy cares, disappointments, and opposition is troubled and perplexed yet kept from distress and despair by that indwelling power, which makes ministry fruitful. With that light shining in the heart, labor must correspond with professed truth in patience, kindness, courtesy, meekness, and lowliness, with the will subdued and in harmony with God, keeping calm nerves and an even temper toward ministering brethren instead of harshness, severity, and domineering ways.
This was proved true in Paul's life to his latest hour, pressed by trouble on every side without being crushed and perplexed without despairing. His Spirit-given steadfastness made the truth he preached convincing, and the heaven-born peace on his countenance won many souls to the gospel. His confidence, peace, and steadfast, joyful, forgiving spirit through persecution and the prospect of death made Christ's life visible in him even at his execution and drew others to the gospel.
Paul's Trials and Ministry
Paul's being hard pressed on every side and at a loss yet not crushed and not without hope was his own lived experience in the service of Christ, marked by continual peril, relentless opposition, attacks and abuse, exhausting toil and privation, physical weakness, illness, weariness and worn strength, conflict, persecution and danger from many sides, discouragement, the heavy burden of caring for struggling churches, and even fear that his labor had been in vain. Through all this pressure, confusion, persecution and danger he was sustained and not overcome, never losing hope, but continuing to work and pray and serve until death. His suffering followed the very path Christ had walked, and remembering Calvary renewed his resolve to keep serving.
The verse proves that his pathway, like the Christian pathway generally and the work of gospel ministers particularly, is beset with difficulties, trials and temptations, and therefore is not taken up from selfish or mercenary motives. To be troubled and perplexed in this calling means to stand in conflict with evil men and evil angels and the powers of darkness, yet not to be left in distress or despair and not to regard the case as peculiarly discouraging, because God is Helper and does not permit enemies to triumph. Though often brought low, ministers are enabled to rise and press again into the conflict with triumph or death before them.
Always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus and being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake means that physical suffering through privation and toil conforms His messengers to Christ's death, bearing in the body the dying of Jesus so that His life is made manifest in their body and mortal flesh. Those who hold this ministry by mercy do not faint under pressure and confusion, because they carry the treasure of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ in earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of themselves. What works death in them brings spiritual life and health to those who believe the truth, who endure persecution without being destroyed and without falling into failure or discouragement.
Preaching not self but Christ Jesus the Lord as servants for Jesus' sake, with that light shining in the heart, refines, purifies, elevates and ennobles the workers, cuts away fleshly lusts, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. That inward work requires outward labors corresponding with professed truth, in patience, kindness, courtesy, meekness and lowliness, with the will subdued and in harmony with the will of God. It calls God's servants to view wages, leadership of sanitariums, and all important decisions about duty and responsibility in the light of Christ's self-denying example, refusing worldly customs of large salaries and letting precept and example harmonize, while enduring hardship in the body for Jesus' sake so that His life is made manifest in mortal flesh. It likewise requires keeping calm nerves and an even temper toward ministering brethren instead of harshness, severity and domineering ways, and, as true shepherds and missionaries in hard self-denying fields, taking up the work at hand anywhere and doing it as for Jesus and reaching forward for more without fainting or becoming self-centered.
By the grace of God those who thus suffer for the Redeemer's sake receive deliverance, protection, support, consolation and fortitude to stand steadfast and endure danger and suffering. Their very preservation under manifold difficulties, dangers and trials testifies that Jesus lives and that by His power they live also. Because their physical suffering brings life to believers, believers must therefore be careful not to increase the burdens and trials of laborers by neglect and disaffection.
Encouragement in Present Trials
Trials and cares may thicken and multiply until endurance seems impossible, yet those under watchful care need not be overwhelmed, fail, become discouraged, or be destroyed. The Lord watches over them to preserve them, and to their own surprise they still stand and discover they can bear far more suffering and trial than they once thought possible.
Being troubled on every side and perplexed without despair includes being left behind, crippled and surrounded with infirmities, fiercely tempted and tried and not knowing what to make of it all, yet holding on with courage and without losing hope, laying everything at the feet of Jesus and resting content to understand hereafter, convinced that work remains to be done. It also includes outward calamities such as a sandstorm blowing down family and larger tents when center poles break, through which the prince of darkness exerts power to annoy and perplex, yet without being disturbed or overthrown, because the Lord is encamped on the ground and at work and will care for His own work, so that even giving up shelter to those left without it opens present and still greater future openings for the truth. The same keeping power sustains when worn by a crowded house, constant meetings with no quiet rest, added inconvenience, care and expense, and anxiety over sickness among dependents.
In the final crisis, with His power and light upon them, God's chosen people will stand approved of Him and trusting in Him when the wicked are enraged against them, measures are taken against them, confusion is on every side, and darkness thickens around them. To be perplexed then is to be pressed and troubled without giving up faith, crying to God earnestly day and night with a deep sense of unworthiness and entire submission to His will, praying that His will be done and asking, if it can glorify His name, to make a way of escape and deliver from the heathen round about who have appointed them to death, because His arm can bring salvation. Every one without exception pleads and wrestles like Jacob for deliverance, and though angels in sympathy would go to rescue them, they are held back because the will of God is not yet fulfilled, for they must drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism.
Afflictions come upon God's people, and workers in His cause may have to lay down their work because physical strength fails, even through death, yet pressure and perplexity do not bring crushing defeat or loss of hope, and God's purpose will still be accomplished. As laying the Saviour away in death looked to His disciples like the end of His earthly work while His death was in reality the very life of the cause He advocated, so the death of a worker does not stop God's work.
Present troubles are light afflictions, trifling in comparison with Paul's many afflictions when he was troubled on every side, perplexed and persecuted, and they give the Christian no ground for complaint. They are not worthy to be compared with the eternal weight of glory awaiting the overcomer, but are God's workmen, ordained for the perfection of character. However great the deprivation and suffering, however dark and inscrutable the way of providence may seem, the Christian is to rejoice in the Lord, knowing that all is working for good.
The chapter containing this promise holds instruction that is precious and intended for every believer to take personally, calling believers to consider what has eternal importance and to humble their hearts before God. Believers may face perplexities on every side without being overcome by them or driven to despair, and the perplexities of the present time make such encouragement of faith especially necessary.