音频：
视频：
•3我们不在任何事上妨碍任何人，免得这使命被人毁谤；4反倒在各样的事上表明自己是 神的用人：就如在持久的忍耐、患难、困苦、灾难、5鞭打、监禁、动乱、劳碌、失眠、饥饿、6廉洁、知识、坚忍、恩慈、圣灵的感化、无伪的爱心、7真实的言语、 神的大能、藉着仁义的兵器在左在右、8荣誉或羞辱、恶名或美名。我们似乎是诱惑人的，却是诚实的；9似乎不为人所知，却是人所共知；似乎是死了，却是活着；似乎受惩罚，却没有被处死；10似乎忧愁，却常有喜乐；似乎贫穷，却使许多人富足；似乎一无所有，却样样都有。
作为地区教会联合会的主席，我负责监督整个地区150个教会，连同教会的牧师和教师。除了少数例外，我发现那些在那些教会中服事主的人，都是把自己献上、勤奋、有爱心、善良、忠心的人，他们谦卑地服事，有时甚至在困难的情况下服事。我认识一些牧师和教师，他们不要求加薪，因为他们希望自己的学校和教会能够生存下去。我认识一些蒙召的工人，他们受到教会成员的不公正对待，但仍继续用爱心、耐心和善意服务他们。
保罗的经历和他们类似，只是他经历的这些事要多得多。看看他经历过的不公，不仅来自这个有罪的世界，有时候甚至也来自“教会。”然而，他并没有生活在沮丧的阴影下。他形容自己是：“似乎忧愁，却是常常快乐的；似乎贫穷，却是叫许多人富足的；似乎一无所有，却是样样都有的。” 我想起了一位退休的牧师，他加入了我们的教会，他在这一生中遭受了很多苦难，但他总是对我露出灿烂的微笑，说一些积极的鼓励的话。
我从保罗以及这些我认识的人身上得出这个结论：我的生命并不由我最近所遭受的苦难和悲剧所决定的。相反，我们每天面对的苦难反而给我一个机会，让上帝的恩典在我的生命中更加闪耀。愿我们以积极的态度面对每一天，神对我们的怜悯每天早晨都是新的。他的信实何等广大！
祷告：主啊，请教导我每天以谦卑的心在你的恩典中服事你。无论生活的环境怎样，请让你的光永远照耀，让你的名得荣耀。我如此祷告是奉你的名。阿们。
2 Corinthians 6: 3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (NIV)
As a district president, I supervised 150 congregations along with their pastors and teachers. With a few exceptions, I found those who served the Lord in those congregations to be dedicated, hard-working, loving, kind, faithful men and women who served humbly and sometimes under difficult situations. I knew pastors and teachers who didn’t demand raises in salary because they wanted their schools and churches to survive. I knew called workers who suffered unjust abuse from their members, yet continued to serve them with love and patience and kindness.
Paul was like them, only times ten. Look at the abuses that he experienced, not only at the hands of the world, but sometimes at the hands of the “church” as well. Yet, he did not live under a cloud of depression. He described himself as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” I think of the retired pastor who joined my congregation, who suffered much in this life, yet never failed to have a wonderful smile and some positive word of encouragement for me.
The point I take away from Paul’s example and from others I have known is this. My life is not determined by the latest trouble or tragedy in my life. If anything, the hardships we face daily give me an opportunity to allow God’s grace to shine in my life even more. And why shouldn’t we face each day with such a positive outlook on life? God’s mercies are new to us every morning. Great is his faithfulness!
Prayer: Lord God, teach me to serve you each day with grace and humility! In every circumstance of life, let your light shine through and let your name be glorified. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.