2 Corinthians 11:28,29, “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall and I am not indignant?”
Paul had continual sufferings and mistreatment throughout his ministry, yet he never kept his eyes off of God’s calling upon his life and had a daily burden for those who were weak in their faith or were misled by false apostles.
Paul lists a summary of what he had endured for making the gospel known (2 Corinthians 11:23-27): Imprisonments, countless beatings resulting in often near death. Five times Paul was given the Jewish punishment by the synagogue of 39 lashes for preaching the gospel, especially to Gentiles. It was the most severe beating allowed. The Gentile’s punishment for disturbing the peace was beatings with rods, which he received unjustly three times. Once in Lystra, Paul was stoned, which was the most common form of execution. Three times he was shipwrecked. At least one of the shipwrecks was so severe that Paul waited an entire day to be rescued, while drifting and floating on the wreckage of the ship. Paul was often in danger of robbers, and from false teachers while traveling. Yet despite all of these trials upon his health and life, Paul continued to have compassion and love for Christ and the churches because God had made Heaven real in his heart. Paul knew first hand how God had changed a sinner like himself; therefore, Paul was a testimony of God’s mercy. That was the turning point in Paul’s life, found in Acts 9:4-6. His salvation is a great example of a life transformed by God.
As I was sitting in my car at the drive-up-pick-up spot at Ralph’s recently, I was viewing people going into the store with their mask’s on and that struck me differently than I had viewed them before. I was wondering if they knew Jesus, and did they have a relationship with Him? Did they think that just being a morally good person will be enough? Why didn’t I look at people like that before COVID-19? It was something about seeing the masks covering up people’s faces that caused me to have a change of perception.
Paul never allowed his sufferings, which were no doubt caused by the enemy in trying to hinder his work for the Lord, to deter Him in his faith and trust in the Lord, and personal time spent reading the Word of God and praying. Paul warned about being on guard of Satan’s continual efforts to derail local churches and ministries. Satan seeks to destroy unity by generating bitterness and unforgiveness, to create fears (that is a big one), and to blind the unbelievers’ mind to respond to the gospel (2 Cor. 11:14,15).
Paul, a true man of grace and grit, had learned immense patience and endurance from all of the sufferings he had experienced. His relationship with the Lord made him strong as he focused on Christ and eternity because Heaven was a real place, and Hell was a real place to Paul in his heart. That held Paul’s perception of life after his turning point time of salvation as Paul ministered for seven to ten years in obscurity in Tarsus. Nobody knew his name or who he was, yet the Lord had plans for Paul when Barnabas sought him out to go minister together to the Gentiles in the north and that was a significant pivotal point of the gospel being spread.
Wondering what God’s plan is for you during these odd times of having life on pause in various ways? Paul had many detours throughout his ministry, but God used Him in ways he wouldn’t have expected, and that fruit still remains today. God may be choosing this unclear and difficult time to understand, to become a turning point in your life and my life (think of that word “obscurity.”). Screen your thoughts and opinions through God’s Word. Search for God’s wisdom upon your life. Your perception may change, and it may become a new turning point in your life, even during this time of shelter-in-place, as you walk by faith for what’s next. Hold onto Ps. 48:14 NIV, “For this God is our God for ever and ever (Elohenu Olam); he will be our guide even to the end.”
What turning points in your life has God used for His glory?
Listen to KING & COUNTRY – TOGETHER (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly) Official Music Video. It was just released this week.