Rav Sha'ul (apostle Paul) was buffeted by setbacks throughout his ministry. He was shipwrecked, bitten by a viper, stoned, beaten with rods and left for dead at least once. While serving in Asia, he was "burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life (2 Corinthians 1:8)."
Yet Yeshua of Nazareth was faithful to comfort and deliver him in his affliction. Sha'ul wrote to the house church at Corinth: "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us." Bible commentator Matthew Henry (1662-1714) saw this passage well:
What they did in their distress: They trusted in God. And they were brought to this extremity in order that they should not trust in themselves but in God. Note, God often brings his people into great straits, that they may apprehend their own insufficiency to help themselves, and may be induced to place their trust and hope in his all-sufficiency. Our extremity is God's opportunity. In the mount will the Lord be seen; and we may safely trust in God, who raiseth the dead. God's raising the dead is a proof of his almighty power. Posted by Jeff King at August 30, 2006 09:21 AM
During our times of trouble HaShem is with us. In Scripture I see were HaShem does not take the trouble away from us but that He is with us during the times of trouble.
Posted by: scitex at September 3, 2006 05:06 AM