“For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears” (2 Corinthians 7:5).
“I have had a great deal of trouble in my life, but most of it never happened.” (1)
In an earlier portion of his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul the Apostle wrote,“When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door for me. I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia” (2 Corinthians 2:12-13 HCSB).
Although it has taken five intervening chapters and eighty-three verses to reach this point, Paul will now return to conclude the account he began earlier in 2 Corinthians chapter two. As we continue with the resumption of that account, the remainder of this chapter will provide us with a glimpse into the humanity of this great apostle.
As mentioned earlier, its appears that Titus may have been responsible for delivering one of Paul’s previous messages to the church at Corinth. It also seems likely that Paul and Titus arranged for a follow-up meeting at Troas, a Mediterranean coastal city near the Aegean sea. Unfortunately, Titus never made it to Troas and a look at the way Paul responded to his absence provides us with some insight into his mindset during that time.
Notice the emotionally charged language Paul used to describe his feelings: “I had no rest in my spirit…”, “…we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” A multitude of potential scenarios may have run through Paul’s mind during that time, including many that didn’t end well for Titus or the members of the Corinthian church.
This provides us with an opportunity to consider a phrase that represents one of the most helpful or destructive questions one can ask: “What if?” On one hand, this question can lead us to develop creative solutions to complex problems. On the other hand, “what if” questions may lead us to dwell upon every negative scenario that might potentially occur, thus causing undue stress, apprehension, and/or worry- things that God would have us avoid.
Nevertheless, these fears, conflicts, and troubles did not lead Paul into a state of anxiety, for as he said to the Philippian church…
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
(1) Variously attributed, most notably to Mark Twain