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“11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.”

 

Paul’s letters are full of emotion. What he feels, he writes! Whether it be pride and encouragement, or pain and anger…we get the full gamut of human emotion in his letters. He always seems to express love for God and God’s Church, no matter what else he is feeling. Yet that love—especially for fellow Christians in the churches to whom he writes—is sometimes expressed in the way that many parents (to use his metaphor) find ourselves expressing love to our children: in the context of our own frustration, anger, and even emotional woundedness.

Ministry and service to God is often very joy-full, but it is not without its frustrations. We may even find, as Paul fears may be the case, that what we work hard to make manifest through our ministry may not ever come to pass in this life. Your ministry may be teaching children, sewing a quilt, leading a Bible study or small group, captaining a volunteer team, or a host of other Christ-centered endeavors. These things are so worthwhile and necessary; and yet they can still be very frustrating, at times.

If ministry and service to God is frustrating or doesn’t seem to be working like we’d hoped, that doesn’t mean that we have failed. It is a reminder that we are part of a world where we don’t ultimately control other people or the environment in which we live. We can control ourselves, and not much else.

We press on in faith and Christian service, with the understanding that as hard as we try, all things will not be resolved in this life…. We will realize some victories now—Hallelujah! Other victories will remain a “not yet” in this life.

Pastor Beverly Struckmann pastorbev@livinglord.org

 

Prayer Concern: For those who feel frustrated or burnt out in their Christian vocations, that they would feel refreshment and renewed hope, as they weather both storms and peaceful seas.