Paul was an apostle by the will of God. That’s the only reason. Don’t go after a position. Let the Lord put you there and require it of you. Don’t seek after an office in the church. It’s a demanding job and you need God to be the one carrying it out if you are going to be a benefit to the Body of Christ. The lamp doesn’t put itself on the lampstand. Let your owner set you up where He wants you to best shine His light through you.

How does Paul start his letter? He blesses others. He blesses God.

Verse four of 2 Corinthians 1 says the word comfort four times. Paul says that God comforts us in our affliction, so we can offer that comfort to others in affliction.

We aren’t here in the world for ourselves. We’re here for others. Paul says that he’s both afflicted and comforted for the sake of others. He’s not looking at himself.

It was those very afflictions that taught him to not look to himself. God allowed him to struggle so beyond what he could handle that he thought he was going to die. He was so beyond his own strength; he had to rely on God. He had to look to God for deliverance.

He knows God delivered them and will deliver them. He looks to God with hope for deliverance again and again. Trust God to deliver. Rely on him, not self. He’s the deliverer.

Paul worked with simplicity and godly sincerity, not earthly wisdom. Don’t figure it out. Simply trust God.

Paul is sure in what he speaks because all of God’s promises are yes in Jesus. We do everything on the basis of the cross and all Christ accomplished. The promises are “yes” because Jesus finished the work already by His death and resurrection.

We carry the promise by the anointing, seal, and guarantee of the Holy Spirit in us, so we say, “Amen to God for His glory.”