Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:8–9 (NRSV)
We do not want you to be unaware, drugstore brothers and sisters, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Thought for the Day: Paul and Timothy find themselves in such a torturous experience that they believe the end has come; that they will be literally put to death. But Paul wants the church in Corinth, a church all too familiar with persecution, to know that even through intense suffering, he and Timothy have found resolve and strength in God. Paul even wonders if times of trial and difficulty aren’t actually intended to draw us nearer to God. While I don’t think God causes suffering, I do agree with Paul that it is often in our times of greatest distress that we find an ever-closer connection to God.

Prayer: Merciful Lord, through the trials and tribulations of human existence, may each moment of my life draw me ever closer to you. Amen.