Paul

How many times was Paul shipwrecked? Wasn't it three? How many years did he spend in jail, chained to guards, walls, post? Many. How many times was he whipped, beat up, physically hurt over the years? I don't know, but I do know it was more then I would like.
Paul showed humility throughout his ministry. He had been through so much, I believe to make him aware of God's power, grace, and strength. If God had not delivered Paul out of these things, then he would not have been able to write all the letters he wrote, letters of encouragement, letters of wisdom, letters of correction.... to the early church, and to us today. How do we as Christians learn what is real and what is not? Easy, if we are in desperate need, and God delivered us, then THAT is REAL. If we never go through any needs, problems, emotions of "where are you God", then we will never learn of His great Power to save us from them. James 1:2:

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations"


How could anyone, especially Paul after all he had been through say this?
Count it all Joy, that Satan is tempting me almost beyond what I can take? Count it all joy when I almost fail before the One true Living God? Count it all Joy that troubles are at every hand, and I do not see a way of escape? Yes, Count it all Joy, because God is waiting to jump in at just exactly the right moment and save you , once again to show His Love, and compassion but mainly His Power to save us from ANYTHING. And when this happens, He comes to the rescue, our faith grows, and grows, to where we are not troubled anymore at what satan can throw at us, it is merely
an attempt to remove us from our walk with Him, and that is not going to happen, because we know the God we serve can do anything.

If Paul can say: "count it all joy when we fall into temptations............." then why can't we say it and mean it? Think about Paul's luck, if you will. He was ship wrecked on almost every sea journey he took. When they were shipwrecked one time only one person got snake bite, guess who? Right Paul. But there was a miracle waiting to happen there.
You see Paul, was an optimistic person. He knew that when something bad happened to him or those around him, it was a learning lesson. He never missed a lesson, either. He grew in wisdom and strength and faith, with every hard lesson. I don't think he ever said, "Oh, good, another lesson from God, what now?" But he may have. He made no secret of struggling, I imagine it was his faith that struggled from time to time. He could not understand why things were always happening to him. Ever felt like that? Why Lord, why, why me? And all God will say is :"Trust me, this is all going to work out for My glory." Is that easy to do? Of course not, it is possibly the hardest thing ever, BUT is it rewarded? Wow, is it ever. You see, the more we endure, the more our faith, trust, strength in Him, relationship with Him, become stronger.
Paul is one of my greatest heroes from the bible. He showed us, that bad things do happen to good people, but the are for OUR good. Why? How? Because through those bad things, comes good things.
If you were a commander of an army and you had the choice of who you wanted to serve under you,who would you choose? Green never been to battle recruits that just got out of boot camp, or battle tested solders who had been in many battles and knew the in's and out's of warfare? Of course you want experienced soldiers. God is looking for experienced soldiers to fight in this spiritual war. If you have never had any difficulty in your life, then what good are you? You do not know who and how to trust, or what weapons we have at our disposal or how to use them. Maybe you learned about them in Sunday School, but you have never used them in battle.
You are not going through this battle alone, you have brothers and sisters who will hold you up, if you ask them.
So sharpen your swords, get ready the rifles, put own the whole armor of God, because the battle for your soul has been going on since you were born, and it is time to start taking an offensive vs. defensive position.
The Battle is The Lords. We will defeat the enemy , with our Gods help.