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Christian Setbacks: A Question of Perspective By Hector M. Earle Every Christian has his or her bad days; the apostle Paul had his share as well. Amazingly, Paul was able to persevere. What enabled him to do so?
t has been said that depression is the common cold of mental illness. That is to say that depression is just as common to the mind as the common cold is to the body. Everyone (Christians included) has had their blue days. Depression is our common response to losses and setbacks. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick," declares the scripture in Proverbs 13:12. Some of us can bounce back from depressive setbacks while others seems to carry the dark cloud of hopelessness and despair until they are consumed by their own feeling of sadness. It seems that depressive moods are a matter of one's perspective toward stress factors. What may be a major roadblock to one person may just be a small hurdle to another. It's interesting to note how Paul, the most prolific contributor to the New Testament, handled setbacks and disappointments. If there was anyone, who had reason to be depressed because of life's adversity, it would be Paul. Let's examine the apostle Paul's reaction to setbacks and disappointments. If you view this man's life from a human perspective, he had it hard. Some would probably argue that he endured more physical and mental challenges than Job himself, if that's possible. Yet he came through with flying colors, and when it was all said and done, he considered his so-called life problems to be nothing compared with the inheritance that awaited him in heaven. On reflecting upon his life, this man claimed that he had endured far more labors for the cause of Christ than you and I can ever imagine and many of them were far from trivial. In II Corinthians 11:23-27, we find Paul stating that he received jail terms on many occasions for his commitment and belief in Christian principles; he was beaten, almost to death, so many times by the authorities that he nearly lost count. Apparently these beatings involved cruel punishment with lashes and rods. On one occasion, he was stoned by an angry mob but managed to escape. On three separate occasions he was involved in a shipwreck that nearly cost him his life. As a matter of fact he said he spent a whole day and night exposed in the open ocean at the mercies of the elements. He embarked on endless journeys bringing the love of Christ to countless people, not knowing what to expect or where he was going. On these journeys he faced dangers from raging rivers and the ever-present threat of being accosted by robbers. There were terrors from everywhere, the country, the city, and the water. His enemies were many, including his own countrymen and foreigners. He labored hard and encountered many hardships, spending many sleepless nights in constant hunger and thirst. He suffered cold and exposure that would make cowards of lesser men. But Paul was on a mission for Christ, and he allowed neither man nor beast to stop him.
Apart from all these daily and nightly terrors, this man had to assume almost total leadership for perhaps hundreds of churches and groups who depended upon him for their spiritual growth and maturity. After all, most of these recent converts were mere babes in Christ. Paul was so deeply concerned for the Church of God that he made every attempt to be there with every group, in person, to help them grow and mature in Christ. Those groups to whom he could not visit he wrote God-inspired letters of instruction, teaching and encouraging them in the way of Christ. What did all these stress factors do to Paul? Did they make him a depressed, discouraged, defeated individual? By no means! As we see in other scriptures, this man was a thoroughly positive person--the kind that excelled in difficult times with a triumphant spirit. "I have learned," he wrote, "in whatever state I am in to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." (Philippians 4:11-12). What was his secret? Did the apostle Paul consider himself far superior to all of us. By no means! He considered himself least among the all apostles. It appears that Paul had the right perspective. He had the proper relationship with his creator. Beginning with the experience in Damascus, God directed his life. Paul actively sought divine guidance in everyday affairs. He sought God's help in difficult times; when things didn't go as planned he could still maintain a positive attitude because he knew God would make all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). We can strive toward the kind of absolute faith, trust, and determination that the apostle Paul displayed, relying on that wonderful promise of Christ when he said, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). God's precious word is loaded with truth and divine guidance, which enables us to cope with the worries of life. By following the example of Paul given in God's word, the dark cloud will pass by. We will experience the kind of hope and joy that is free from unresolved fears and setbacks, for we will have a proper perspective. Copyright 1999 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Keywords: stress depression Paul worry
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