Still Standing
| Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2Corinthians6:4-10) |
This is the scene Paul is depicting. He's been through a lot, he's seen the congregations he serves also going through a lot. The great truth he conveys is this: "We are still here!"
When we're tired from relentless battles and numbing fatigue, Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit will work in us to carry us through. We will receive strength when we're weary, courage when we're afraid, hope when doubts assail us.
When we're weary, here's the good news: God doesn't promise an easy life, but He promises to help us through. We'll receive endurance and the ability to work hard through sleepless nights and hunger. We'll be able to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit like purity, patience and love. We'll receive unexpected weapons of righteousness and even when persecuted and accused we will come through and we'll be rich in the things that matter.
We had a service in October where we had an opportunity to write our thanks to God on a board. I thought about many things that I could write about, but ended up writing "I'm still standing!"
