It is Friday morning. I feel like I have a bit more energy today. But my body is still in a great deal of pain. The thing is the effects I feel are not from the cancer, but from the cure. That is frustrating at times. But often, things have to get worse before they get better. That just seems the way it is.
Pardon this leap, but maybe that's how Paul felt. Things seemed to be getting worse for Him, but as for the spreading of the gospel, things were getting better. People were hearing the message of salvation and lives were being transformed. He was able to take his focus off of his own suffering and look at what God was doing in the midst of it.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2, Paul mentions the mistreatment that he and his missionary team experienced in Philippi. This is described in Acts 16. They were beaten and jailed. Then they came to Thessalonica, where they were did not treated much better. Yet, despite their suffering, they boldly proclaimed the gospel. They knew that their ministry was not in vain.
Because they knew that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). They had no fear. In fact, they had full confidence in the message they were spreading, because it was from God. It was His plan of salvation. It was his way of bringing people into right relationship with Himself and with each other (Gary Demarest). It was His way of transforming lives and relationships.
We need not fear in proclaiming God's message. Whatever we may suffer, our ministry is not in vain. The gospel continues to save people from their sins and transform their lives.
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1 comment:
I don’t know what to say about the points you raised. I have undergone family blessings
a lot of times now, so I guess I couldn’t put in a negative word or two. I do like how you got your views across. Good luck to you.
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