“When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy” (2 Cor.7:5-7).
Lord Jesus, the incidental pictures in the Bible are as precious as the extraordinary promises. I’m grateful for this story of a discouraged, tired, conflicted Paul. Not that my circumstances mirror his; I’m just feeling a bit on the “blah-ish” side of things today. I’m feeling my humanity.
Nothing major is sucking my joy. There aren’t any foreseeable crises looming, or fresh disappointments creating a grace-leak in my heart. I’m just more listless than fired-up on this Tuesday morning, and I’m okay with that. Paul was restless, not prayerless. You put your head on a pillow and slept in a boat because you were tired and sleepy (Mark 4:38-40)—not to model anything extraordinary for us. Thank you.
And thank you for the encouragement you send us in various forms. Though you’re quite capable of sending ravens and rainbows, manna and miracles, more often than not you send us to each other. I love how Paul referred to his friend Titus: “His presence was a joy”—”his presence was a joy” … not pressure to get over anything, not a “teaching moment,” not a rebuke to his tiredness.
Even as we treasure friends like Titus, make us that kind of friend to others—which is simply a prayer to become more like you Jesus. When you are close, “bruised reeds and smoldering wicks” feel no pressure to stand tall or glow like a lighthouse (Matt.12:15-21). No one offers a kinder presence than you, Jesus. Thank you So Very Amen.