2 Corinthians 1: 3- 11
The God of All Comfort

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

today's sermon in church was on Dealing with Pressure. i guess this passage in the Bible came quite timely. Now, most of us have a lot of assignments and tests on hand, year end exams are coming.. be it in Perth or Singapore. Everyone faces pressure, in one form or another.

What i found really comforting from today's sermon was verse 10. "He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,"

Many thoughts ran through my mind. I thought about the victims of the disasters that happened in Indonesia, Philippines and American Samoa.. about some friends whom i know are feeling really stressed about school work, and many other things... and i am comforted by God's words as i am being reminded once again that God will bring us through whatever we are facing just like how He has always brought us through. be it you and i who are facing academic pressure/work pressure or the victims in the disasters who needs to hold on to hope..

Hopefully, this verse will be an encouragement to those who are feeling pressurized/down (: