RIGHTEOUSNESS

2 CORINTHIANS 6:3-10 This passage gave me hope this morning as I wrestled with trying to live a life pleasing to God. NLT

Verse 3: We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our (my) ministry. In everything we do try to show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless night, and gone without food. We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have faithfully preached the truth. God's power has been working in us. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and defend ourselves. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us imposters. We are well known, but are treated as unknown. We live close to death, but here we are, still alive!!!! We have been beaten to an inch of our lives lives. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. Amen. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians, begging them to live as ambassadors for Christ, no matter the cost. And so I pray, "Jesus, the way of the cross is hard, but I desire to be known for having kindness, patience, sincere love and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. I own nothing, and yet have everything."