Dealing With The Tough Stuff Of Life

Dealing with the Tough Stuff of Life

2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Romans 5:3-5

June 19, 2011

Morning Service

Introduction

One of the classic baseball television shots comes from the 1975 World Series, in which NBC captured Carlton Fisk, jumping up and down, waving his arms, trying to coax his hit to stay fair. It did--for a home run. That colorful close-up would have been missed had the cameraman followed the ball with his camera, as was his responsibility. But the cameraman inside the Fenway Park scoreboard had one eye on a rat that was circling him. So instead of focusing the camera on the ball, he left it on Fisk.

Source Unknown.

When life hits you with problems, you have a choice to make; you can either become bitter or you can become better. The Bible is filled with people who endured the tough stuff of life.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers

Jeremiah was thrown into a well

Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with the infant Jesus

Jesus was betrayed by His disciples: Judas may have turned Him over to the Jewish leaders but the rest turned and ran to save themselves

Peter and John were beaten for preaching the gospel

Paul was beaten and thrown into prison

What kind of tough stuff have you had to deal with?

You experienced the tough stuff of betrayal when your spouse walked out the door and called it quits.

You experienced the tough stuff of sorrow when you stood by the grave of a loved one that had passed away

You experienced the tough stuff of illness when you discovered your need for surgery

You experienced the tough stuff of doubt when you felt like God had left you

Every problem is an opportunity to prove God's power. Every day we encounter countless golden opportunities, brilliantly disguised as insurmountable problems. C. Swindoll

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Key words to understand

Hard Pressed (thlibomenoi)

The word means to be squeezed, oppressed, hedged in or troubled.

Paul is describing the daily reality of problems that create an ongoing pressure in life. Paul is talking about a situation that is filled with problems that will not relent.

On every side

Paul is expressing that there were problems in every possible way, at every place and every occasion.

Crushed (strenochoroumenoi)

This word is the root of our English strenuous. The word means to be kept in a narrow, cramped space ¡V to be continually distressed.

Paul makes it clear that while trouble and problems may surround us, we do not have to be overwhelmed by them.

Perplexed means to be at a loss, to be doubting, not knowing or questioning. It is wondering which way to go, what to do, what to say.

Despair means to be hopeless, to have no confidence, no sense of security

We may be persecuted but Christ never forsakes us

Persecution comes in many forms:

Isolation

Slander

Criticism

Imprisonment

Threats

Martyrdom

Never forsaken - God never leaves us alone. He is with us always and is there when we need Him. Christ is there to give us His presence and power.

Struck down - to be smitten or knocked down

Destroyed - to perish, to die

Seven Facts about Problems

Problems are not uncommon

Many times people think that they are the only individuals who are dealing with trials or hardships. While no difficulty is the same for every person, problems are virtually universal. Everyone has problems. Some people have more problems than others but everyone has problems. There is no way to deny it or candy-coat it, we are problem people. We experience problems on a regular basis, sometimes even daily. The more problems that we handle help us to be more prepared for the next one. Never think that somehow, you will come to a time in life when you will be free of problems.

Problems reveal our inner self

Many people try to hide their true selves through an act or some sort of mask they create. There is no way to hide every truth from every person. There is nothing like a problem to unearth the truth that lies beneath the surface of the facade we try to create. We try to show everyone a brave face and fake it through daily life. Problems push through the pleasantries and make us face the depth of ourselves. Problems hold a mirror up to our face to show us who we really are in our inner being.

Problems help us draw closer to God