But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned;struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:7-8

When I was a kid, I remember watching my Dad and one of his friends play chess. I learned the basic principles of the game then, but I can’t say that I was really proficient at moving pieces effectively across the board and since I started playing again recently, I often feel like the lone pawn in the graphic above.

There are times when we may feel like we’re in the same situation, facing impossible odds in our lives.

Over the weekend, someone commented on the state of the world we live in and this morning I spoke with another about some of the personal challenges we are confronted with on a daily basis.

In the verses above, Paul describes his own situation. He felt pressure on all sides and was often confused about his circumstances, mistreated and attacked, but in each of those descriptions he also pointed out how he was not defeated, not because of his own strength, but because of the “all-surpassing power” from God.

Too often I think we rely on our own strength instead of God, what do you think?