Hard Pressed

7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
2 Cor 4:7-10 (NLT)

There's a tendency in many of us to maintain the idea that we can handle life on our own. For some, it comes out of a prideful spirit that doesn't let anyone else within the small circle of people we trust. For others, it might be a sense of responsibility - that this is my role, my job, my place to handle this, and I don't need to burden others with it.

Neither has any place within the life of a Christian. For we are never alone and our lives are connected with God's purposes through the Holy Spirit Who dwells within. That same Spirit leads us into community with other "called out" ones and into a group called the church.

Paul makes it clear in the passage of Scripture where his power comes from. He does not minimize his frailty as so many of us do when hard pressed "I can handle it. I don't need anyone's help."

Instead, he admitted he was in trouble and that he didn't understand fully the reasons for that trouble.

And he counted on God. God's presence. God's power. God's purpose and plan.

That's where we need to be found.

Hard pressed? Sure.

But dearly loved.