Read 2 Corinthians 11:16–33
I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep;
I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without
food; I have been cold and naked.
2 Corinthians 11:27
In my limited itinerant ministry, I have had the convenience of automobiles and planes, and yet travel wears me out. How much more difficult
it was for Paul! He often had to go without food, drink, and sleep, and
sometimes he lacked sufficient clothing to keep himself warm.
Paul endured these hardships because of his love for Christ and
the church. His greatest burden was not around him, but within him:
“the care of all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28 KJV). Why did he care so
much? Because he identified with the believers (v. 29). Whatever happened to his “children” (6:13) touched his own heart, and he could
not abandon them.
Paul climaxed this narration of his sufferings by telling of his
humiliating experience at Damascus, when he—the great apostle—
was smuggled out of the city in a basket let over the wall (11:32–33)!
Even when Paul did narrate his sufferings, he was careful that Christ
was glorified, and not Paul. May we never take for granted the sacrifices that others have made so that we may enjoy the blessings of the
gospel today.
Something to Ponder
What are some ways (if any) that you have suffered for the good of
your church?