Daily Devotional in II Corinthians 2

Daily Nugget:
One of the reasons a person, particularly a Christian, should daily read their Bible is that he can learn how to handle daily situations; even the “little” problems. Here, Paul learned a lesson from his past experiences and was sharing it with his Corinthian friends; so they would not learn the same lesson he did — the hard way. This lesson can be learned by today’s Christians, as the situation is also faced today.

Paul learned that if he griped, complained, and shared all his sorrows all the time, when it came time for his friends to encourage him, there would be none left to help him (vss. 1-4). They would all be sad and too sorrowful to encourage him. There is time to share one’s problems with friends and acquaintances, but that time is not all the time!

Everyone knows a constant griper. They complain about their job, parents, finances, politics, and everything else. After sharing their load of cares, quite often, their friends will soon be so down and depressed that the main source of the complainers “pick-me-ups” will be lower than the complainer. There will be no one to do the “picking up”, when it is needed. After a while, many listeners soon figure out that listening to the other persons moaning and complaining gets them so depressed that they even avoid being around that person. The problems of the complainer increase the more when his circle of confidants is running for cover when he comes around.

Not only does constant complaining grow tiring to some, it does more damage if the griper is a Christian. When a Christian has a reputation of grumbling, it also sends a message to the listener. It leaves an impression to the complainee, that God just cannot handle the person’s problems. The person appears defeated because God was not able to help them in their situation. That is not the message that anyone should intentionally want anyone to learn, but it can be what is learned by those hearing a Christian appear defeated. Does that mean that one should “hold it all in” all the time? No, it is just a consideration that should be weighed when negative talk is spoken.

If more would give their difficulties and trials to God, there would be less need to be running to every person to share one’s pain. God desires to be our first source of defense, not our last. Go to Him first and then, instead of spreading ideas that God is limited in areas of help, one can share the goodness of God with others when telling others how the Lord delivered and helped them. God can help anyone with anything!

Today’s Thought: When you are finding faults, look in the mirror, not discuss them on the telephone.

Today’s Reading: II Corinthians 2
1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
5 ¶ But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12 ¶ Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. (KJV)