2 Corinthians 11

Bible Passage:  2 Corinthians 11

“I’m sick”; “I’m tired”; “too much work”; “there’s not enough time”; “it’s too hard”; I’m bored”; “I don’t care”—the list is endless as to what a Christian might say during times of tribulations. We all face tribulations but how each of us responds might be entirely different. Paul’s response is an example of a zealous follower of Christ that we can learn from.

Ever been imprisoned, beaten, whipped, stoned, shipwrecked, starved, cold, and endangered in numerous settings? Not many have, but Paul has. Yet he continues his ministry to preach the gospel to those who have never heard of Christ. For Christians today, our sufferings may be that we are left feeling like the odd one out because we don’t go out on Sabbath days. We are unemployed and left with financial worries because a job requires us to work on Saturdays. We may become social outcasts because people view us as conservative, restrictive, and indifferent. Though our tribulations do not compare to Paul’s, we are still suffering given the circumstances, the pressure and the anxieties we feel.

Paul just kept going. He persevered. Despite the bleakness of the situation, he held on to his faith, remembered God’s grace and boasted of his weaknesses. Some people would say to curse God and forget Him in times of tribulations, but others would remember God’s grace and be thankful in all circumstances. How will we respond to our tribulations?

May we continue to be zealous for Christ and remember that suffering is a necessary part of our journey of faith.