Take a moment to read 2 Corinthians 1 before reading the devotional below.
As we begin this series on 2 Corinthians, I would encourage you to go back and read the series on 1 Corinthians if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet. This is a second letter that we have from Paul to the Corinthian church, though there are references to other letters which we no longer have today. To understand more about the background of 2 Corinthians, read this or this.
I wanted to start this series with the whole first chapter because I found myself asking, “Why did Paul immediately start writing about the way that God comforts us in trouble?” Reading the whole chapter gives you the sense of what has happened: Paul was unable to visit them as planned. He starts out emphasizing trouble and suffering to explain all that he has faced and why he was unable to come to them. Not all the believers in Corinth were necessarily trusting of Paul, so he’s going out of his way to prove himself trustworthy in the midst of not keeping to his word of coming back.
Here’s your freedom for today:
God works it out when things don’t work out.
Paul says a lot about God in this chapter, so go back and re-read it focusing on God’s character more than Paul’s journey. God comforts. He rescues. He keeps his promises. He strengthens us in our faith. He places the Holy Spirit within us. Often our plans do not work out, but God remains good. He remains faithful. When God works things out, it doesn’t mean that our practical realities improve. Sometimes they don’t. But God will bring goodness into our lives when our plans fail. He will help us stand firm when we face difficulties and trials. God is faithful.