Pressed Out of Measure

The Storm

Paul names something worth taking seriously here, pressed out of measure, above strength, despaired even of life, genuine, severe overwhelm, worth holding against whatever assumption spiritual maturity should have insulated Paul, or should insulate you, from this level of genuine, honest despair.

This is worth examining against however much your own overwhelm has produced private shame, as if genuine faith should have prevented reaching this point, rather than Paul’s own honest testimony here, a genuine apostle, genuinely, honestly pressed above strength, despairing even of life, without this disqualifying his own faith.

Notice would not have you ignorant, Paul’s own deliberate choice to actually disclose this, not hide it, worth holding as needed permission against whatever instinct has kept your own genuine overwhelm hidden, private, unspoken, rather than honestly disclosed the way Paul chose to disclose his own.

Whatever pressure currently feels above your own strength, receive today Paul’s own honest permission. This level of genuine despair does not disqualify genuine faith. It is named here, directly, by an apostle, worth trusting as companionship rather than evidence that something has gone uniquely, spiritually wrong in you.