Apart From Such External Things

[S] 2 Corinthians 11:27-28 --
27  I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28  Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.

[O] Paul's dedication to his ministry involved much hardship describe in this chapter.  He wasn't necessarily looking for hardships but in order to carry the message of Christ he had to withstand such difficult circumstances mentioned in verse 27.  I can feel pain just thinking about them and yet he goes beyond that by saying that on top of those "external" things, his concern for all the churches was even greater.  I'm reading about Paul's ministry now because he really gave it all to build the churches in the right way.  He did not just stop at his "good enough" efforts relative to others but he gave his "best" as a caring pastor.

[A] My life seems to be at the very edge these days with so much going on, but reading what Paul had to experience and yet he so much cared for the churches humbles me because my focus is really more on how crazy things are for me rather than the concern for all the ministries at my church to bring yet another soul closer to Christ.  I must re-calibrate my spiritual bearing so that "apart from such external things" I must lock on to pursuing the ministry of saving lives in all fronts.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for encouraging and challenging me through Paul's life to carry on with my own life, not being burdened daily but to move forward with power and conviction of caring for others.  May I do this not through my efforts but by surrendering my life to You first and putting into actions that You're convicting me to carry out today.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.