The Ministry Of Repaying Hardship With Love

2 Corinthians 4- I’ve decide that this chapter is the ultimate encouragement chapter. Paul writes to the church at Corinth and in this chapter he reminds them that this world is temporary and encourages them to focus on the eternal.

Have you ever just been annoyed? Do you know someone who is easily annoyed? If you know me then you know at least one! I don’t like a lot of noise (hello...boys!). I don’t like a big mess. I don’t like chaos or confusion. I get easily rattled if there are too many things going on at once. These are all normal daily occurrences for everyone, I realize that. But, I’m not talking about the everyday, I’m talking about seasons of life. There are seasons of life that are full of joy and bliss, like being engaged to your future husband or wife. But, there are other seasons that are automatically more stressful and anxiety ridden, like the terrible two’s. So what do we do when we find ourselves in that difficult season when annoyances abound and there’s nowhere to run. In 2 Corinthians 4 God has laid out the perfect plan and as always there’s a lesson in it for us, too!

In verse 1, right off the bat, God gives us purpose in our struggle “we have a ministry”. In our frustration people are watching, “How does the Christian handle it?” they ask. What do you tell them with your response? Are you set apart the way God has called you to be? In verses 2 & 5 is the answer “we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God...For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” God is telling us here that how we handle ourselves matters because we represent Christ in our actions and relationships. In my annoyance do I snap, lashing out to the people God has placed in my life? Or do I respond in love as God would want me to? Only if I have stored my “treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God” (vs 7) am I able to respond with love. It is because we live in a fallen world that we will have trouble, but God has given us His strength to draw on. Are you hard pressed on every side? Are you perplexed when situations arise? Are you persecuted? Are you struck down? If you answered “yes” then you must be living in this momentary world! God knows and His promise is this (vs 8,9): you are not crushed, you are not in despair, you are not abandoned, you are not destroyed. Why? Because I rely on my stored up treasure in my jar of clay that only comes from God, and through that we testify to others of God’s love.

Next, Paul likens this ministry to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Take a look at verses 11 and 12, “For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may also be revealed in our mortal bodies. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.” This is the gospel of Christ. Because Christ died in our place we live. As we endure hardship and repay with good we literally die with Christ and raise to life His resurrection power. Think about that for a minute. Christ died for our sins. Christ rose victoriously defeating death forever. So, when I show goodness, even though I have received hardship, I pass on the ministry of Christ. Amazing. I can’t even fully wrap my brain around the idea that God would make a way for us to share in Christ’s sacrifice, yet that’s exactly what He does!

And it doesn’t stop there, we have a ministry plus we are blessed from the experience, look at verse 15: “This is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people” (the love you spread in your response to frustration) “may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” We share in God’s glory, what pure joy! Paul wraps up this chapter nicely encouraging the Corinthians to not lose heart, to remember the eternal glory and to focus on the unseen spiritual world that God has for us in heaven (verses 16-18).

This brings me to a new level of thankfulness. Not for the stuff I have, but for the ministry that God has given me. Even though it may be frustrating at times it is from God and to have that purpose, that blessing from Him is humbling and exciting.

Dear Heavenly Father- Thank you for the opportunity to share in the ministry of Christ, to die with Him in persecution and to rise with Him in victory. I ask that You would continue to give me Your strength in this ministry that I may abound in grace to those you have brought to my life. ~Beth