“we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith” (2 Cor 1:24).
Pastors, leaders, and ministry workers, can you say that you work for the joy of those you minister to? That the fruit of your labors is a people who are joyful in their faith?
Some churches put a heavy yoke of rules on their people so that joy becomes unachievable.
Other churches seem like sadness, seriousness, and heaviness are the goal. Or worse, boredom.
But the gospel is one of joy and celebration.
Does this mean that we cannot tell the truth as leaders? Not at all. In fact the very reason why he is saying the things he does is for the very reason that he had to tell them hard truths. He had rebuked them for their immorality and their immaturity, and even instructed them to put one of their members. These was painful for Paul to do.
“But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith
“For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.” (2 Cor 1:24-2:1-4)
We are in a season of our nation that we must have love without truth. But that is not true. Love and truth go together.
It is the same with joy. There cannot be joy unless there is also truth.
Paul had to give them some hard truths. But the end goal was joy. He worked for their joy. He promoted their joy.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit life.
So let’s walk in joy ourselves. Let’s work for the joy of others.
But let’s not divorce truth in doing so. They are a happily married couple.