Thursday, November 17: 2Corinthians 7- Fears.

 

Here I was reading God’s Word, reading that the great apostle Paul had fears. For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within (5). I was a little surprised to read this. I am sure that I have idealized Paul and made him in my mind to be more perfect than he was in person. Reading the last two words of verse 5, I realized that one of the perfect traits I projected onto Paul was never being afraid. But here he was, admitting he was harassed from the outside by conflict and from within by fears!

I have fears sometimes and reading that Paul did, too, normalized the fears I sometimes feel. The first time I went to Nigeria.  The first time I went to Nigeria with only my family –no mission leader to make the sticky decisions. Oh, I could go on listing other occasions, many of them are ‘firsts’ in my life… anyway, fears surface.

Though having fears normalized, the text also pressed me not to let the feats stop me from things God has called me to do. Yes, Paul had fears within and conflicts without, yet neither of these prevented him from doing what God called him to do. It is like God comforts me in one moment during my devotion time with Him and then He challenges me in another.

Each morning with God is fresh and new and real!

The next verse spoke volumes to me as well. In the midst of harassment God arrived. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus (6). God arrived in the form and person of Titus and poured comfort into Paul’s fragile hurting heart. Go God.

God has done that for me, too  In those moments of fear and harassment, comfort comes, often in the form of a sister or brother. And in the economy of God, there have been times when I am the encouraged and other times when I am the encourager…

I pray that if you are troubled, God will arrive in your life.  Keep your eyes open, God may arrive in the skin of a sister or brother in the Lord.

I pray too that you will keep your eyes and ears open because God may be prompting you to reach out and touch someone who needs divine encouragement …

Lord God, thank You for the many, many times You have showed up in my life and calmed a fear or injected courage in my life just when I needed it. You are so awesome, Lord. Thank you…

And thank You, also Lord, for the times You allow me to be Your agent of mercy, help, encouragement to a sister or brother. Lord, thank You for gracing me into life with You. I am blessed to be part of Your family and to be used to execute Your salvation plan. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.