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哥林多后书：1:8-11: 8：弟兄们，我们不要你们不晓得，我们从前在亚西亚遭遇苦难，被压太重，力不能胜，甚至连活命的指望都绝了。9自己心里也断定是必死的，叫我们不靠自己，只靠叫死人复活的神。10他曾救我们脱离那极大的死亡，现在仍要救我们，并且我们指望他将来还要救我们。11你们以祈祷帮助我们，好叫许多人为我们谢恩，就是为我们因许多人所得的恩。
保罗写给哥林多信徒的第二封信，读起来更像是一封私人信件，而不像是一封写给陷入苦难的全体教会的信。在这封信中我们更多地了解保罗个人曾经遭受过的患难。我们看到使徒保罗因自身的苦难而不堪重负，以至于他说出，“连活命的指望都绝了。”有人认为这可能指他在以弗所经历的患难（使徒行传19章）。也可能和他个人的健康有关（哥林多后书12章）。虽然保罗对能不能活命感到绝望，但他从来没有对神的恩典绝望，也没有对那叫死人复活的神绝望。他全心全意地相信那位一次又一次救他脱离死亡的神。
也许我们不了解保罗经历了哪些具体的苦难，但这或许对我们是件好事。因为当我们不知道保罗具体的苦难，我们就可以把保罗在这里说的话应用到各种不同苦难的情况。圣经上说我们进入神的国必须经历许多艰难（使徒行传14:22）。每个人的生命中都有足够多的苦难，让他们感到连活命的指望都绝了。
这不是一件坏事，真的不是一件坏事。如果生活充满安逸，毫无苦难，我们就会留恋，绝不会想要离开。但当我们连活命的指望都绝了，对今生感到绝望，我们反而会紧紧抓住那唯一确定的和真实的，就是我们在基督里的生命。我们在耶稣里的盼望永远不会让我们失望。
祷告：满有恩典的主啊，请救我脱离我此生的罪恶！与此同时，我知道只要我的肉身还活着，就必定经历患难和苦楚。求你每一天都更新我在你里面的盼望，盼望那你为我预备的永恒的生命。阿们。
2 Corinthians 1: 8 For 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. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. (EHV)
Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reads more like a personal letter than it does a letter to a troubled congregation. We learn more about Paul’s troubles in this letter than anywhere else. We see the apostle so burdened by his afflictions that he says, “we despaired of life itself.” Some think it may be the trouble he experienced in Ephesus (Acts 19). It may well have had to do with his personal health as well (2 Corinthians 12). But even though Paul despaired of life, he never despaired of God’s grace or the hope he had in God who raises the dead. He puts all his trust in God who had delivered him time and time again.
Maybe it is good that we don’t know the exact details of Paul’s circumstance. Then we would apply it only to the same circumstances in our life, which may be rare. The Bible says that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22). There is enough trouble in every person’s life to make them despair of life itself.
That’s not a bad thing, really. If this life were only comfortable and never filled with afflictions, we would never want to leave it. When we despair of this life, we hold onto what is certain and real, and that is the life we have in Christ. And our hope in Christ will never disappoint us.
Prayer: Gracious Savior, deliver me from the evils of this life! At the same time, I know that I must experience trouble and sorrow as long as I live in this flesh. Renew me every day in the hope I have in your and in the life you have prepared for me. Amen.