Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 6:4-10 – “… as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and difficulties… We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love, in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; We serve God whether people honour us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. (We’ve been) sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (NIV + NLT)
We can only imagine the great, distressing trials Paul, and those who accompanied him, went through, YET they still praised the Lord and rejoiced in their hardships. When we walk in the light, and minister in the power of the Holy Spirit, speaking the truth in “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, and love,” some people might honour and respect us, or dishonour and disrespect us. Some will slander us, and some will praise us. Remember Jesus said, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). When others hurt us, it is hard to rejoice and be glad.
In 2 Cor. 6:10a, we read – “You see us “as sorrowful, yet [we are] always rejoicing.” Yes, we might be sorrowful. There are very many reasons for our hearts to break. But even so, we should not stop rejoicing!
Verse 10b says, “You see us “as poor, yet [we are] making many rich.” We might be poor in material wealth and not rich, but we can live to make others rich in Jesus and in His love and light.
Verse 10c states, “You see us ‘as having nothing, yet [we are] possessing everything.” Phil. 3:8 confirms it – “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
Jesus said in Matthew 5:11–12, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”
No matter what we go through, we need to be thankful and rejoice, because others are watching our reactions. We are ambassadors for Christ. John Piper wrote – “What the world needs from the church — from us — is our indomitable joy in Jesus in the midst of suffering and sorrow.”
Paul wrote in Romans 8:18 – “For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!” (AMP)
Precious Heavenly Father, please help us and teach us how to always rejoice, even during times of sorrow, illness, brokenness, persecution, and even when we are in need. Help us to have joy, because Your word says in Nehemiah 8:10c, “…do not be worried, for the joy of the LORD is your strength and your stronghold.” (AMP) We need You Lord, to have Your strength and Your joy even amidst our daily concerns. Thank You for carrying our burdens! Having You as our Saviour, Lord, Redeemer and Friend, gives us enough reason to rejoice. Amen
Myrtle Turunen