Every human who has ever lived has experienced events they never wanted to happen, whether self-imposed or due to nothing they had done or failed to do. In this world, everyone has troubles. Added to that some suffer from frequent depression. Troubles rebuff even the strongest souls.
Jesus’ apostles experienced perhaps some of the worst life events. Paul lists some of his life pains here. They included troubles, hardships, distress, beatings, imprisonment, riots, hard work, sleeplessness, hunger, dishonor, bad report, being regarded as an impostor, being unknown, dying, sorrow, poverty, and having nothing. Paul lists his responses in these verses.
My response to everything that happens to me, whether wanted or unwanted, is important. I can choose now not to let future events dictate my response to them. I could attempt to train my will to be set to positive and my mind to be alert ahead of time. I could commend my soul to be preset to “great endurance” (4). I would do this as a mental and emotional wall to guard against attacks on my positive inner well-being.
As wise as that sounds, I have come to realize that an attitude of no surrender to any future troubling hardships is sometimes not enough. Some mornings, I wake up feeling refreshed and strong-willed. The wall of defense is strong.
Other mornings, I wake up feeling like buttered popcorn left out all night. I wake up fatigued and melancholy. I have never been a morning person. Even on the mornings when I am raring to take on and overcome any obstacle, there is always the possibility that a major unexpected tragedy that no one could muscle up a strong will to overcome will transpire. What then?
Paul wrote here that he endured, “in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love” (6) and “in the power of God” (7). I have discovered that every morning, especially the melancholy ones, when I turn my mind, my emotions, and my will to God even for a minute or 30, the soul’s wall of defense is built on solid rock. It is less likely to fall, and I will be less likely to be overrun by deadly emotions and thoughts.
Jesus taught in a parable that he is a solid rock to build on. Going daily to Jesus before troubles come, I will not be overcome because my wall of defense is built on solid ground. I will not be destroyed. (Matt. 7:24-27) “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalms 18:2, 27:5, 40:2, 62:4)
