It has been said that, "life is one long process of getting tired."* Well, yes, if it's done right. Nobody likes insomnia, so that can be a good thing. I always loved the feeling of laying my head on my pillow knowing I had earned my bread.
2 Timothy 3:10-11 But you have fully known my doctrine, manner of life,
purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which
came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but
out of them all the Lord delivered me.
This is an odd bit of a letter from Paul to his young mentee Timothy. I like it because we hear Paul saying, [Ah, but you know me well, Timothy. You know what I teach, how I live my life, why I do what I do, my reasons for believing, how I suffer, who I love, the limits of my patience, what I've gone through in this world, and how the Lord brought me through it all.]-My paraphrase
Paul was transparant to those he mentored. He lived a transparant life. This does not mean that his life was perfect. It means he didn't hide his problems from Timothy. the key words here, for me, are purpose, and delivered. First, I like hearing Paul talk about his purpose. I hate purposlessness. God gave us a spine. I believe we need a purpose for living. But, the word delivered may be mistaken to mean something that it doesn't. It does not mean delivered in the sense that Daniel was delivered from the Lion's Den. He did not escape unscathed. He was beaten, and stoned, and suffered greatly. This deliverance was the kind you overcome by suffering through and coming out the other end intact in your faith. Yes, that is being an overcomer. And, therein is our purpose in this life... to overcome, with our faith intact. We will need it you know.
*Samuel Butler Quote