Daily devotion – Paul’s example of courage for us to follow.
Paul’s Example of Courage
2 Corinthians 11:22–28
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Ever had a bad day? A day when everything seemed to go wrong? Perhaps you felt tired, discouraged, frustrated, or overwhelmed.
Now read again what Paul endured.
Beaten.
Imprisoned.
Stoned.
Shipwrecked.
Hungry.
Thirsty.
Cold.
Exhausted.
In danger from enemies, robbers, unbelievers, and even false brethren.
And after all of that, Paul says he also carried “the care of all the churches.”
Yet Paul did not quit!
What gave this man such courage? What kept him going when everything around him seemed to be falling apart?
Paul understood that his life belonged to Christ.
He was not serving Jesus only when it was convenient. He was not faithful only when circumstances were comfortable. His commitment to Christ was not determined by how easy life was.
Paul had settled the matter: Christ was worth everything.
There is something else we must remember: nothing enters the life of a child of God without first passing through the sovereign hands of God. Nothing!
God is not surprised by what surprises us.
He is all-knowing.
He is all-wise.
He is all-good.
He is all-just.
We may not understand what He is doing, but we can trust who He is.
Paul could have looked at his circumstances and said, “Lord, why me?” Instead, he kept looking at Christ and continued forward.
And perhaps that is where we need to be challenged.
Sometimes we become discouraged over difficulties that would have been considered minor compared with what Paul endured for the sake of the Gospel. A difficult day, an inconvenience, a disappointment, a criticism, a financial pressure, a relationship problem—and suddenly we feel like giving up.
But Paul reminds us that following Jesus is not about having an easy life. It is about having a faithful life.
The Christian life is not simply an hour and a half on Sunday morning.
It is not merely attending church, singing songs, listening to a sermon, and then returning to our ordinary lives.
Christianity is a life surrendered to Jesus Christ.
It is following Him when life is good—and following Him when life is painful.
It is serving Him when we are appreciated—and serving Him when nobody notices.
It is trusting Him when we understand—and trusting Him when we do not.
It is remaining faithful when the road is easy—and remaining faithful when the road is hard.
The Bible is filled with men and women who understood this. Their faith was not merely something they professed with their lips; it was demonstrated by their lives.
And that should cause every one of us to stop and ask:
Is my Christianity something I talk about—or something I live?
Time will reveal what is genuine.
Jesus warned:
Matthew 15:8
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
Those are sobering words.
It is possible to speak Christian words while our hearts are far from Christ. It is possible to look faithful on the outside while our hearts have quietly drifted away.
Paul’s life challenges us to do more than talk about faith—he challenges us to live it.
So when the next difficult day comes, don’t immediately ask, “Why is this happening to me?”
Instead, ask:
“Lord, how can I remain faithful to You through this?”
Your circumstances may change. Your health may change. Your finances may change. People may change. The world around you may change.
But Jesus Christ does not change.
So keep going.
Keep praying.
Keep trusting.
Keep serving.
Keep witnessing.
Keep reading His Word.
Keep your eyes upon Jesus.
Paul endured because Christ was worth it.
And He is still worth it today.
May our Christianity never be merely something we say with our lips. May it be something the world can see in the way we live.
Today, this week, and until the Lord calls us home—may our hearts truly honour Jesus Christ.