Read 2 Corinthians 4:1–6
Since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose
heart.
2 Corinthians 4:1
The way we look at our ministry helps to determine how we will fulfill
it. If we look on serving Christ as a burden, we will be a drudge and
do only what is required of us. Some people even look upon Christian
service as a punishment from God. When Paul considered the fact
that he was a minister of Jesus Christ, he was overwhelmed by the
grace and mercy of God.
His positive attitude toward the ministry kept him from being a
quitter. He confessed to the Corinthians that his trials in Asia Minor
had almost brought him to despair (2 Cor. 1:8). In spite of his great
gifts and vast experience, Paul was human and subject to human frailties.
But how could he lose heart when he was involved in such a
wonderful ministry? With the divine calling came the divine enabling;
he knew that God would see him through.
A discouraged Methodist preacher wrote to the great Scottish
preacher Alexander Whyte to ask his counsel. Should he leave the
ministry? “Never think of giving up preaching!” Whyte wrote to him.
“The angels around the throne envy you your great work!” That was
the kind of reply Paul would have written, the kind of reply all of us
need to ponder whenever we feel that our work is in vain.
Something to Ponder
Is your ministry something that the angels would envy? Why or why not?