“Giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, … in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God” (II Corinthians 6:3-4, 6-7).
Paul wanted folks to recognize his ministry as sincere. A minister known for his purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, filled with the Spirit, loving, truthful, and all of it energized by the power of God.
I think we recognize what it looks like to be patient, kind, truthful, loving, etc. But what does it look like to exercise the power of God? How do we show God’s power in us to love and serve others, and to overcome sin, shame, pride, condemnation, and other obstacles we have talked about?
I think one way we demonstrate God’s power in us is to refuse to take on a victim mentality in the circumstances of life. A victim approach says, “I cannot practice these powers that God promises when I am facing such dire situations. The world is throwing so many curves at me that you cannot expect me to walk according to the power of the Spirit.” But I believe in the challenges of life is exactly when we have an opportunity to show off the power of God; a power that the world knows nothing of.
Look at the complete II Corinthians passage we began this post with. “Giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things” (II Corinthians 6:3-10).
It is in the very challenges of Paul’s life; in afflictions, in hardships, in distress, in beatings, in imprisonments, in sleeplessness, in hunger; facing dishonor, evil reports, sorrow, poverty … it is in this tumultuous journey that Paul seeks to be known by the power of God in his ministry.
We are not to blame our circumstances for why we cannot show the power of God to others in our lives. It is in these times of weakness as the world sees weakness that God’s power can have its most amazing display. “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (II Corinthians 12:9).
Your weakness is not an obstacle to God’s power. Let it be the pathway to the world seeing God’s power perfected in you.