Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 1:23 to 2 Corinthians 2:4.
“But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.
But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.” 2 Corinthians 1:23 to 2 Corinthians 2:4.
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Paul recognized that his letters to the church at Corinth could be received by some who would think that Paul only intended to “pick on them”, shame them, and cause them sorrow.
For example, he earlier wrote to the church at Corinth to help them understand his true intention.
“I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4:14-17.
In today’s Scripture, Paul wrote: “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.” Verse 4.
Naturally, we want friends to praise us. But, it is better for us to receive “constructive criticism” from a faithful friend, than to receive empty praise that is not deserved and that leads us to continue the bad behavior to our harm.
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6.
When a father performs his duty to discipline his child, the action itself is not a joyful one for the father to perform nor for the child to receive, but the father does it because he knows that it is for the good of his child.
“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Hebrews 12:7-11.
“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:2-4.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 