a good and timely word

so, this morning i was reading in 2 corinthians, chapter 4 and came across a few verses that are so familiar, but that i hadn't really paused over before:

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. (v. 8-10)

there's so much there that is dramatic and a little scary--being afflicted, persecuted, struck down--but what stood out to me today is that we are "perplexed, but not driven to despair."  i don't often feel particularly persecuted in dramatic ways.  but i do feel perplexed.  often.  and it's hard, sometimes, not to feel like that is going to tip right on over into despair. 

so, it's encouraging to me that we do not have to understand everything--that we will not understand everything--and that that is okay.  we can be perplexed.  we are perplexed.  but, because of Jesus, we are not driven to despair. 

what a relief.