By Bill D. Whittaker
Sometimes we face inner trials, like Paul said in Colossians 2:1 “I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea.” Whether external persecution or inner stress, the Lord is sufficient. Grounded in Him we can stand the trails.
The trials we face in ministry are not about us. It is a selfish response to accept them as something personal. To us “it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29). Grounded on God we can also “consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).
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A business person approaches a new endeavor wanting to know up front about the “package,” the salary, benefits, bonuses, perks. And if it doesn’t work out what’s the “parachute” that will safely let me down so I can find something else.
We who follow the call are promised neither package nor parachute. We have something better — the presence of an all powerful, providing God. He says to us as he did to Joshua, “I will be with you, I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).
Grounded on God we can stand the trials, and we can also speak the truth (vv.2b-6). It is possible to be “bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.” The word “gospel” is found four times in this text. But it is not any gospel, not any good news—the gospel of God. I received the good news that our son and his wife will have another child—our seventh grandchild. That’s good news! But in Christ we have the best good news.
The one on whom we stand gives us His word to speak. How fortunate we are to have the Book—God’s truth—as the source of Good News, the guide for the practice of ministry. We don’t have to start from scratch. The book gives us the plan for evangelism, the plan for starting churches, the content of our speaking.
How are we to speak the truth? Verses 2 through 6 tell us some elements: with boldness (2), honestly and void of any deceit (3), accountable to God (4), unselfishly (5). We speak without the flattery that manipulates others for what they will do for us. We speak the truth seeking God’s glory (6).