Up to this point in our study of 2 Corinthians, you might think that mature Christians (especially those serving in ministry) are just beaten up and depressed. But that’s not actually true. The apostle Paul, although he experienced a lot of hardship, was quite joyful. He found joy in his ministry.
As a Christian, there’s a source of joy you may not be tapping into. What is this source? It’s the faithfulness of the Christians you minister to.
Finding Joy in Fellow Christians
Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
– 2 Corinthians 7:13 (ESV)
Remember that Paul sent his “letter of anguish” to the Corinthians via Titus? They responded well and it comforted Paul. Beyond that, he rejoiced because of how things went for Titus.
For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.
– vv. 14-16
It’s pretty clear what Paul is saying here. He is so thankful at how the Corinthians proved faithful in responding to his letter and treating Titus well.
The faithfulness of other Christians is a source of joy. We can find joy in those we minister to – a source we may not think about enough.
Finding Joy in Ministry
How is your joy holding up in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic? How joyful are you being stuck at home? You might be looking for joy in food, in entertainment or just be waiting for joy to come once life returns to normal.
If that’s you, consider tapping into the source of joy presented here. There are two ways to think about it:
- Think about the people who have ministered to you. It means a lot for them to know you’re still faithfully following Christ. Because they have invested in you, they find great joy when they see your faithfulness.
- Think about the people to whom you’ve ministered. It may have been in official, unofficial, formal or informal ways. But think about those who are still faithfully following Christ and rejoice in that!
Now you might be thinking, “I’m not a pastor and I’m not the apostle Paul. I’m not ministering to anybody.” If so, the question for you is: why not? If you are a Christian, you are a minister. You can find joy in ministry as a parent, prayer warrior, employee, Sunday school teacher.
There are so many different ways to minister, and joy can be found in each one of them.
Devotional streamed on Facebook Live – Tuesday, Apr. 21 @ 3:00 PM
