2 CORINTHIANS 1:8-11 – “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”
THEME OF THE DAY: AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY. Have we ever gone to church and a brother or sister reaches out to shake our hand or give us a hug and then asks, “How are you?” Or maybe we run into a fellow believer outside of church, and the same exchange happens, “How are you doing?” The answer to those questions is an obvious, “Of course” but there is more to this dialogue – how do we answer? Is it with a short customary, and mindless response, “I am fine, thanks”, “I am okay, thanks for asking” or something generic like those that lean toward the positive but may lack authenticity.
The world does this too. There are many times I have met people walking or at some event and asked, “How are you?” and the quick “fine, thanks” is returned and nothing more. Even with strangers. I have given the same quick response to strangers. I am sure you have as well. It is natural. It just flows right off our tongues with ease.
But what would happen if we responded, “Not good. I am hurting. I am struggling spiritually. Can we get together and talk?” Well, what would happen is the beginning of authentic Christianity. A real life-on-life sharing and experiences of the church (God’s people) being vulnerable, transparent, and sincere. It is the need of the hour among Christians. We live in a fearful world that has negatively impacted the body of Christ with too much individualism, too much privatization, and too much guardedness. It leads us to such disingenuous answers like, “Oh, I am fine” when we are anything but fine.
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul is the “real deal” when it comes to authenticity and sharing his walk with Lord with other believers. Paul would not answer a generic question, “How are you, Paul?” with a safe and generic “fine”.
Spend time in today’s scripture and study the Apostle Paul’s transparency with the Corinthian believers. He didn’t hesitate to share his suffering without making it all about him. The description of his pain is vivid, yet, not sensationalizing it or himself. Yes, he acknowledged his affliction but only to point others to God’s purpose of affliction and encourage other believers to trust God’s faithfulness in the affliction.
Still yet another area of Paul’s authentic Christianity is his dependency on the prayers of God’ s people. He states, “You must also help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:11). Great joy comes when we are able to rely upon the praying people of God, and may we never be reluctant to not only solicit such help but give it, too.
Imagine what the Lord might do if His people really get invested in each other with genuine sharing of the Christian life from the inside out. He might send us desperately needed revival!
PRAYER: Father, let the groans of my heart reach Your heart and teach me to suffer well as a follower of Your Son.
REFLECTION: True Christians learn to share all of life in deepening spiritual relationships with other Christians.