Who to trust

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 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, - 2 Corinthians 1v8-10

Last night I watched (again) the brilliant film “Facing the Giants.” As the film opens the coach of an American football crashes to an ignominious defeat it yet another match. Another losing season. We then discover that life is tough for Christian coach Grant Taylor is having a rough time. His car barely runs, he loses his star player to another team, his house stinks (literally), there is a leak, the oven doesn’t work. his wife can’t get pregnant (and it is his “fault”), he loses the first three games of the next season, and there is a plot to get rid of him as coach. I am sure there was more, but we get the point. He is in despair.

I think we get, perhaps just a glimpse of how Paul felt in the beginning of 2 Corinthians. He was weighed down beyond measure, his strength was gone. He did not see a way out. He felt like he was under a life sentence.

Coach Taylor was not the only one to feel that way. Paul was not the only one to feel that way. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 77, “I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search. Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah”

Despair is nothing new for God’s people. In the film Coach Taylor gets alone with God and chooses to trust Him, no matter the result. In Psalm 77 the psalmist wrote that he would choose to remember God and His works and to talk of His deeds.

Here Paul keys us in about why he had to go through trouble and despair,.“That we should not trust in ourselves, but in the God who raises the dead and delivers us.” He then reaches out in faith, “We trust that He will still deliver us.”

The rest of the film goes on to tell how Coach Taylor and his team learn to trust God. At the end of the film he breaks down and says, “O God, I am overwhelmed.” Yes, its only a movie. Things don’t always turn around in real life like they did in the movie, but one phrase rings out,”When we win we will glorify Him and when we lose we will glorify Him.” Coach Grant and his wife decided to trust God no matter what they saw, because they knew He could still deliver.

I have run on too long, but the words of a Christian song ring in my head, in spite of the opposition and giants there is a voice calling out to me, it is the voice of truth, and it tells me, “Do not be afraid, this is for My glory. I will choose to listen and believe the word of truth.”