Recently Hubby and I were away for a brief reprieve. The past 6 months have been incredibly difficult and exhausting for us (in relation to caregiving for aging parents). It was very helpful to get away for a few days to rest and have some quiet time to think and process life.
The Apostle Paul likewise needed a reprieve when he came to Corinth. The previous 6 months had been incredibly difficult for Paul! He had been severely beaten in Philippi. Still wounded and broken from this beating, Paul and his ministry team (Silas & Timothy) traveled to Thessalonica, where they stayed for a few months, teaching people about Jesus Christ and starting a church.
Things in Thessalonica were every bit as difficult as they had been in Philippi. Paul came very close to being beaten again. Paul, Silas, & Timothy had to flee town under the cover of darkness. They traveled south to the city of Berea, where they tried once again to share the good news about Jesus Christ.
Things were going well in Berea … until rioters and protesters from Thessalonica tracked Paul down and followed him to Berea. Here they stirred up turmoil, attempting to start another riot.
Paul just can’t get a break.
He’s simply minding his own business and sharing the good news about Jesus Christ with people. But no matter where he goes, haters intentionally track him down in an all-out attack to “cancel” him!
We know that Paul is simply minding his own business because of what he writes to the brand-new Christians of Thessalonica: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Have you ever felt like you can’t get a break? You’re minding your own business trying to live your life, but it seems like you just can’t get a break.
This was Paul.
With the rioters and protestors waging an all-out attack, Paul’s friends sent him away secretly to Athens, by himself, to await the arrival of Silas & Timothy. Now he’s all alone. Physically broken. Mentally broken. Emotionally broken. Have you ever been there?
No matter who we are, eventually we will wind up in a broken place … after having gone through an intense season of difficulty.
The prophet Elijah wound up in a broken place after an intense season of difficulty! (you can read about it in 1 Kings 19:1-18)
God showed up to Elijah and comforted Elijah in his place of brokenness. God provided physical food and rest for Elijah (1 Kings 19:3-8). God provided mental and emotional encouragement for Elijah – reinforcing the call he had given Elijah for his life … and letting Elijah know that he was not alone, there were others who were faithfully following God too! (1 Kings 19:15-18)
We see God doing this same thing for the Apostle Paul in Corinth:
“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.” – Acts 18:9-11
Paul’s time in Corinth was a “brief reprieve.”
Granted, it wasn’t easy or problem free. But it was a reprieve from the intense difficulties and sufferings Paul had just come through. Paul was able to simply live life. Paul was able to work a job … and just live.
When it comes to our own lives, and we find ourselves in a place of brokenness due to an intense season of difficulty … God will likewise provide physical rest for us too!
“God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
God won’t give us more than we can bear.
God won’t let the trial take us out.
God will help us so that we can hang on and keep going.
Just like God provided mental and emotional encouragement for Elijah, so also God provided mental and emotional encouragement for Paul. God provided a support network of friends for Paul (Aquila & Priscilla, Silas, Timothy, and many other new friends in Corinth). God reinforced the call he had given Paul for his life.
When it comes to our own lives, and we find ourselves in a place of brokenness … God will likewise provide mental and emotional encouragement for us as well! God has given us many promises in Scripture to encourage us! And God will also provide encouragement through others around us, like he did for Paul.
The day after hubby and I arrived back home from our brief reprieve, our Sunday sermon which our pastor shared was about the Sabbath. God wants us to rest! God intentionally created the Sabbath for us, so that we could have a chance to rest.
Life will take it out of us!
Life will inevitably have long seasons of intense difficulty.
God wants us to rest.
In the middle of our long season of intense difficulty, God invites us to come to him for rest: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:28-29
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want … he restores my soul.” – Psalm 23:1-3
God wants us to have a reprieve … like Elijah … and like hubby and me this past week … and like Paul in Corinth.
God wants us to have a brief reprieve, so that we can re-set, re-charge, and have renewed strength to get back out there again and do what he has called us to do with our life.
