It seems hard to believe that people would desert the apostle Paul. After all he had done for others, how could anyone abandon him in his hour of need? But they did. In fact, they all did. How painful it must have been to have poured his life out for others and then to have those same people forsake him at his most desperate moment.
But there was one person who had stood with him throughout his ordeal. And no, it was not Luke! Or Timothy (I believe neither of these men were among his deserters). It was Paul’s Lord. Christ knew full well what it was like to be abandoned at a crucial moment. He understood how it felt to face enemies alone. And, Christ knew how to comfort others going through the same thing.
Paul understood that Christ was going to maximize his life and his suffering so that the Gentiles might hear the Gospel. Paul knew that, as much as God loved him, He was going to use Paul’s life, including his sufferings, for the furthering of the Gospel. If by suffering Paul could further God’s purposes, then that is what God would allow him to do. Perhaps you are facing intense opposition right now. Know that Christ will be with you and guide you to accomplish every purpose He has for your life. And, when people disappoint you, keep your eyes on the one person who never will.