READING: 2 Corinthians 1-7
If we accomplish anything in ministry, it is because of God—not because of us. Even the apostle Paul knew that truth. False teachers in Corinth had focused on their own self-sufficiency, but not Paul. He could have easily leaned on his heritage, his upbringing, and his training, but he realized that all he brought to the table could not change lives. It was God who made Paul competent; it was in His power that Paul had any confidence (2 Cor 3:4-6).
This is one of the tensions I live with daily. I live in a world of training ministry students and missionaries, and I want my students and our graduates to be the best equipped leaders possible. I don’t want them to be half-trained. I want them to know how to teach the Word of God well, how to love God’s people well, and how to make disciples well. I want them to interpret the Word well and to train others well to do the same. Indeed, we at Southeastern Seminary will be honoring later this week hundreds of graduates who’ve completed their formal degrees in ministry preparation. What none of us want, though, is for our students and graduates to operate in their own strength.
Rather, we want them to find their confidence only in the Lord. After all, any transforming influence they may have will be because of Him in the first place.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you ever find your confidence in yourself?
PRAYER: “Father, let my adequacy be entirely in You.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 2 Corinthians 8-12
