September 20, 2026
— J. Hudson Taylor · Source: Attributed to Hudson Taylor (original source unconfirmed)
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 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. 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.
Paul's desperate situation in Asia, where he was 'utterly burdened beyond strength,' was not a sign of God losing control, but rather His way of curing our pride of self-sufficiency. We often view pressure as an obstacle and an enemy, trying to shake it off by our own strength, only to end up exhausted in the struggle. These words, attributed to Hudson Taylor, remind us that the true value of pressure lies not in its weight, but in its direction. When the heavy burdens of reality strip away our self-illusions, pressure ceases to be a wall standing between God and us; instead, it becomes a wave that sweeps us into the Father's embrace. The place of utter weakness is precisely where we begin to experience the power of the God who raises the dead.
Dear Heavenly Father, when the heavy burdens of life and ministry fall upon me and leave me feeling overwhelmed beyond my strength, please forgive my foolishness in always trying to hold things up on my own. Lord, I do not ask for the immediate removal of my current difficulties, but I pray that You would grant me spiritual vision to see that these pressures are meant to push me closer to Your heart. Break my self-reliance and lead me to the rock that is higher than I. In my weakness and helplessness, teach me to rest quietly in Your arms like a child, experiencing solely Your resurrecting power and infinite rest. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!