So this morning, part of my devotions was in 2 Corinthians, and the relevance of God's sovereignty over the micromanaging, somebody put that in a question, does he micromanage our lives is he

involved in the little things the hard things does he bring these things about

this this text verses 8 and 9 of 2nd Corinthians 1 is remarkable for we do not want you to be unaware,

so I don't want you to be unaware.

I'm reading this now because Paul said he didn't want people to be unaware of this.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia, for we were so utterly

burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

And some of you probably come into this room feeling that way right now.

Something has happened in the last week that just makes you feel absolutely overwhelmed

just like emotionally hanging on by your fingernails maybe even not able to hang on

that's what Paul felt like in this situation it's over as far as life is concerned he

doesn't tell us what it was I'm glad he doesn't because it leaves room for all of our

experience then. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sins of death, but that was to make us

rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead.

Now, I want to ask you this.

That was to make us rely.

Whose purpose is that?

Tell me.

It's God's, and it becomes Paul's. It cannot be Satan's. Right? Satan never wants you to rely upon God. All right? So, here's a horrible thing that has happened to Paul.

We don't know what it was.

But it brought him to the brink of death.

And he says, but it has a purpose in it.

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