"We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety." —2 Corinthians 1:8-11

It's vital to have people in our lives who bear our burdens with us. Often times we keep our struggles close to the chest because we don't want to appear vulnerable. Fragile. Human. As a friend of mine put it—we sometimes don't even want to "bother God with our problems..." Instead we think, "I'll just take some of the burden off God." That's certifiably CRAZY! God has an infinitely large box labeled: "Nick's Burdens". Why wouldn't I use it?

When Paul says, "We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure," that's something we've all felt before. Maybe we've never been shipwrecked or chained to a prison wall, but we've likely felt crushed and overwhelmed beyond what we thought was in our ability to endure. That challenge is also valid. There is something in us, however, that is conditioned to read these texts as strictly metaphysical. Strictly spiritual. Strictly emotional. Strictly mental. But Paul brings it skin-deep when he says, "we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to DIE." Further on, he even clarifies the very earthly threat he was feeling was one of "mortal danger".

Here is where God's care for us reaches through eternity and grips our bodily well-being in THIS life. "As a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely on God, WHO RAISES THE DEAD." (Who else can claim that title, by the way?) Conscious striving in this life is like consciously trying to breathe. We fixate too much on our own power to make our chest rise and fall, and we suddenly become all too aware of how difficult we are making it. If we think for one second that we are capable of progressing or prolonging our life by our actions alone, we are lost.

"He did rescue us ... and he will rescue us again." This is not only a promise that more challenges are to come, but also that rescue always follows. That's something in which we can place unshakable confidence. And one way we solidify that confidence is by quite literally "confiding" in believers. In other words, we build confidence by sharing in confidence with others. When others see where we've placed our hope and trust, they too are bolstered in their faith. First, because it's a place of honor to be considered someone with a clear line to God on the behalf of someone else. Second, they get to celebrate and "give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers..."

Satan's plan is one of isolation. If he can cause us to feel alone in our trials, then his plan becomes our plan. Alone in struggle. Alone in thoughts. Alone in actions. Alone in decisions. All of my swiftest resolutions to trouble happen in the presence of others who encourage me. It's that calibration with others who know the hope we know. That's why Paul was writing. To build the confidence of others and to reinforce his own.

—Nick