Month: October 2022

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Lord, Thank You that You love me as the hot mess that I am. You don’t expect perfection. You know I’m a work in progress. And yet You love me fiercely. I don’t deserve them and can never earn them, but I am eternally grateful for Your love, mercy, and compassion.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

Lord, Thank You that when You see me, warts and all, You see Your creation, Your masterpiece. Every good and perfect gift in my life is from You. Help me to use the gifts and the strengths You’ve given me to comfort Your people and shine Your light.

2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Lord, Thank You that Your strength is perfected in my weakness. Thank You that I can share my weakness so that I can boast all the more loudly about Your strength. Thank You for showing me the strongholds that I still need to surrender to You. Thank You for loving me through it all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

I share my ugly humanity in these reflections in the hopes that others who struggle will see they are not alone and that that knowledge will help remove some of the stigma of the struggle. I am wholly embarrassed by my struggle with giving. And as with so much in life, my struggle is varied and nuanced and based in emotion and therefore not rational nor easy to dissect and correct, which is maddening.

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

So I have to focus on what I can control or I will lose my mind. I know 1. my attitude in this area is a stronghold that I must surrender to God. 2. my attitude doesn’t permeate my entire being, it’s not omnipresent. That’s good. 3. my attitude is better, more generous now than when I was younger. I’m moving in the right direction. 4. I’m not there yet. I know it. God knows. So I’ll keep working on chipping away the attitude and surrendering it to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Lord, Thank You for Your fierce love, even in my imperfection. Thank You for reminding me of the strongholds in my life that must still be surrounded to You. Thank You for the gifts of Your compassion and grace. Help me to be a more cheerful giver in every aspect of my life. Amen.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 8:2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

For reasons I don’t understand, I have a problem with giving (and sometimes sharing). Not with gift giving per se—somehow in my brain that’s different—with the giving of money or resources. It makes no sense, and yet it is frustratingly real.

2 Corinthians 8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own….

I have a physical reaction—my breathing becomes faster and more shallow, my heart rate speeds up, I just feel…icky in my skin—hyper alert and anxious. I assume it is a scarcity mindset issue—if I give something away and end up needing it, then I won’t have it. Panic! Panic! Regardless, I hate it and know God is once again calling my attention to this stronghold that needs to be given over to Him.

2 Corinthians 8:5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

Lord, I love You and recognize that all that I have is Yours. My irrational reaction to giving and sharing is so frustrating. Help me to drag this issue into Your light and surrender it to You so that I can feel Your peace in this area as well. Please help me, Lord. Amen.

2 Corinthians 8:7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 7:8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it….

This chapter talks in part about earthly sorrow versus godly sorrow. Only godly sorrow can lead to repentance. Earthly sorrow in matters such as these can lead to broken relationships and hurt feelings, but it can’t bring about repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:9a …yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance….

And it is only through repentance that we can restore right relationship with Christ. Paul, as much as it pained him to come down on the church in Corinth because of their behavior, knew that it was necessary to help them see the error of their ways.

2 Corinthians 7:9b …For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.

Lord, Help me always seek to restore right relationship with you. Don’t let me be content with this world. Amen.

2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 6:1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

Ram Dass has a saying, “We are all just walking each other home.” I know nothing about Ram Dass, his views or ideologies, but I think he summed up the purpose of life—for Christians and for everyone—with this saying.

2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.

By helping to walk my fellow humans home, by being an encouragement, a companion, a positive presence, by holding space for those who are struggling, just being there so they know they don’t slog through the muck alone, I am putting God’s grace into action, I am loving God and loving others.

2 Corinthians 6:4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses….

Lord, Thank You for the gift of Your grace. Thank You for the knowledge that love, presence, and community in You are essential. Thank You that by walking each other home, we are being Your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

2 Corinthians 6:10 …sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

This earth is not my home. This body is not my eternal dwelling. At once I fully embrace and believe these ideas and also struggle with them. Verse 7 says that “we live by faith and not by sight,” but it is often hard for me to wrap my head around things that I can’t see, can’t fathom.

2 Corinthians 5:4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Verses 6 and 8 both mention the dichotomy of being home in the body and away from the Lord. We can’t be both at once—in the earthly body and with our eternal Lord. This idea reinforces my belief that my loved ones who are no longer in their earthly bodies are with God. They are no longer home in the body, so they are now home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

Lord, Thank You for the reminder that this creaky body is not my eternal home. Help me to take care of it, but when the time comes to leave it behind to be with You, help me step boldly and in faith. Lord, I trust my sight more than I should probably because it’s what I know. Help me strengthen my faith so that I may live more fully in You. Draw me closer. Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Lord, This world can be a tough, painful place. Thank You for being with us, for fighting our battles when we calm ourselves in You. Thank You for the hope and promise that the worst thing isn’t the last thing, that You have the final say.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Lord, It can be so easy to lose heart, especially when the deck is stacked against me and everything feels like it’s falling apart. Thank You that You are bigger than my feelings, bigger than my fears. Thank You for the renewal that can only be found in You.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Lord, This world is not my home. You have promised to never leave me nor forsake me. And Your strength is perfected in my weakness. You are my strength and my hope, my fortress and my shield. Help me to rest in You, to shine Your light, to comfort Your people. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

My seniors just finished reading Orwell’s Animal Farm. Today’s scripture brings to mind Boxer’s oft misguided motto, “I will work harder.” I’m definitely not where I want to be on my Christian walk, though I’m not where I was. And I keep trying, keep striving to draw closer to God, but all of that centers on *my* strength, not God’s. I’m not where I want to be, so I will work harder.

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

And here’s the thing I struggle with: I am who I am in Christ, not because of *me* but because of *Him.* I am deeply, fiercely loved, I am a treasure, I am worthy and forgiven and redeemed, simply because I am His. How is that possible? Where is my hard work and effort in that? No where. My worth in Christ doesn’t depend on me at all. Why is that so hard for me to grasp?

2 Corinthians 3:10-11 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

Lord, Forgive me that I have such a hard time understanding that You love me simply because I am Yours, not because of anything I have done or could ever do. Help me sit with this truth, breathe in this truth, fully believe the depth of this truth. And help me, because of the audacious hope found in this truth, to be very bold in You, through You, and for You. Amen.

2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

The smell of coffee, to me, is rich and inviting. The smell of burnt coffee is often used to replicate the smell of skunk. The smell of freshly popped popcorn is tantalizing and mouthwatering. The smell of burnt popcorn is offensive and permeates a room, soaking into fabrics, lingering.

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Aromas are powerful, polarizing, and lasting. They waft and abide, becoming a part of the atmosphere. Negative smells have the power to gag and sicken those whose senses are assaulted. Positive smells have the power to soothe, calm, and comfort.

2 Corinthians 2:16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?

Lord, The metaphor of our faith, words, and actions being an aroma of You is rich and dynamic. My thoughts, actions, and words are powerful indicators of my faith. Let their scent be uplifting and encouraging to all who encounter it. Amen.

2 Corinthians 2:17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

Have a blessed day.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort….

The phrase “blessed to be a blessing” comes to mind because this verse is essentially saying that we are comforted so that we can comfort others (in other words, we are comforted to be a comfort). That’s the heart of Paul’s message in verses 3-4.

2 Corinthians 1:4 …who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Verses 9-10 deal with the fact that God brings us to the end of ourselves so that we will realize we can’t do this life without Him. We can’t. And the fact that God is always there when we get to the end of ourselves and our strength gives us hope that He will continue to deliver us. He will not leave us nor forsake us.

2 Corinthians 1:9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Lord, Thank You for loving me enough to bring me to the end of myself, to show me that I cannot do this life without You. Thank You for always being there, for the hope that can only be found in You. Draw me closer. Amen.

2 Corinthians 1:10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us….

Have a blessed day. I love you.