So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion[a] in the fear of God.
Joy and Repentance
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, corrupted no one, taken advantage of no one. 3 I don’t say this to condemn you, since I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am very frank with you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in all our afflictions.
5 In fact, when we came into Macedonia, we[b] had no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 and not only by his arrival but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
2 Corinthians 7:2-7:7
Picture this, a typical Hallmark movie. A couple that likes each other but eventually there is a fight and the couple separates. Each person wants to continue but they think the other does not and is not committed. You have seen this right? If you have seen one Hallmark movie, you have seen them all.
What happens next? The girl’s friend comes to talk to her who is a friend of the now separated couple. The friend tells the girl that the girl’s ex-boy friend is actually very hurt, mopes around all day, can’t focus, and can’t do anything because he is so in love with the girl he lost. Once the girl finds this out, she runs to meet the boy and the rest of course you know. They kiss and make up. The end.
This may be fiction but for the Apostle Paul, this was real life. Paul anguished over the Corinthians and said so multiple times since the beginning of this book.
Paul said he had such a heart for the Corinthians that he would die for them. He had great confidence and pride in them. Paul was seriously invested in their success as Christians. He didn’t take lightly being their apostle.
In 2 Corinthians 2:2 Paul says, “For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?”
Even if the Corinthians dismiss Paul’s teaching and do their own thing, to their own condemnation, Paul feels personally responsible.
In 2:4, he says he writes out of “great distress and anguish of heart with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.”
This is a man who has a real and serious connection with those he disciples. When Paul disciples you, you are not just in God’s family, you are in Paul’s family. This is more serious than the Godfather.
And, even when Paul was away from Corinth, he felt the pull and weight of the burden of not knowing how they were doing, feeling responsible for their spiritual growth.
When Paul left the Corinthians and went to Macedonia, he was discouraged. He was sleep deprived and battered by constant negativity from unbelievers. So much so, that it brought about internal fears:
“but, we were harassed at ever turn – conflicts on the outside, fears within.”
So what broke this temporary depression Paul was in?
Was it his own personal motivational talks with himself? His passion for the lost? His own knowledge of the Word of God and devotion to Christ?
No it was none of these things. Instead, it was the coming of Titus who was sent by the church at Corinth to check up on Paul.
The Corinthians were concerned about his well being, they were sad he was not with them and deeply sorrowed.
How did this affect Paul? His doubts were instantly lifted, and his joy was greater than ever before.
This is a tremendous change by a visit of just one person.
Especially knowing this is Paul, the type A man who never seemed to get down, traveled the world for Christ, unwavering while welding the power of God through multiple missions.
But, that is what it did. Why? Just like the friend in the Hallmark movie, Paul was reminded that the Corinthians really do care and want to connect with Paul through the love of Christ just as much as he did. The feeling was mutual.
Should Paul have been so invested in the Corinthians that it seemed to make him doubt everything else?
First of all, we need to realize Paul was human, he was not perfect as he has said multiple times. Plus, anyone who puts a lot of effort in something wants to see results.
But most importantly, Paul had a real connection. One that I don’t often see within the church today. I think if we were truly committed and connected to one another as Paul was with the Corinthians, we would do more than greet one another on a Sunday morning, we would grieve with them, share the same joy, and live and die with them.
We perceive our daily tasks as negative more than focusing on them as positive. This is just human nature. When you have a big task to accomplish psychologists will tell you that you should complete the small tasks first so that you have a sense of accomplishment right away. That sense of accomplishment will give you motivation to keep going. Without it, we are doomed to fail. This is why half of marriage end in divorce, a majority of small business fail. If all you see is the negative and a mountain of work, your ambition will dwindle.
And, just like Paul, we as Christians need the same thing. We need that friend to remind us that they care about us, that others in the church care about us. That we are part of the body of Christ and essential to the success.
Our job as Christians is to be that person who reminds others that they are loved, not just by Christ but by us as well. That the family of God needs them.
This week truly reach out to others and make a genuine connection. Lay a foundation that can build up to one where you can grieve and share joy together. I know for many this hard. We don’t want to be hurt. But we have to remember that building the Kingdom of God is bigger than our needs alone. Jesus never said this Christian thing would be easy. And in fact, he said it would be hard. But take heart, God has overcome the world and so can you.
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