“. . . but as servant of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; . . .” (2 Corinthians 6:4-5)
One of the themes common in this week’s lectionary readings is trusting in God’s providential care over us in the midst of and despite adverse circumstances. These words from Paul form a litany of many unpleasant events. In the midst of such things he did not compromise the word of God or forsake his calling. In fact, Paul enumerated them joyfully as marks or credentials that legitimized His ministry and love for his brethren. He knew that the Lord sustained him in the midst of these experience and allowed them to befall him for His glory and for the sake of the gospel.
Paul’s experiences may make us tremble with fear. Indeed we would be foolish to think that suffering of any type is easy. But suffering in Christ for the cause of the gospel is far better than suffering because we have sinned. We may think we are not capable of enduring what Paul did and manage to keep the faith in the midst of such suffering, pain and persecution. Yet the Lord will set limits on all we endure and will not let us suffer beyond what His strength imparts to us. He will come alongside us to help us and enable our faithful endurance to carry the light of His love and grace to all who see it.
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