1 CORINTHIANS 2:4-5

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,  so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

TO PONDER

Have you ever struggled to share about your faith because you feel like you don’t ‘know enough’ or don’t have the right words to say? Are you scared of stuffing up, or that you’ll say the wrong thing? I think we have probably all been guilty of that at times. 

Today’s verse reminds us that we don’t need to worry about those things. When Paul went to Corinth, he lacked confidence too. In verse 3 we read ‘I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.’But that didn’t matter. Paul presented the gospel the best way he knew how, which wasn’t with fancy words and impressive arguments. He explained it as simply as he could, so that their faith was based purely on God’s wisdom and power. He was like a blank canvas that the Holy Spirit painted a beautiful picture of God on, and all the people could see it and understand it. Each one of us can be used by the Spirit too, we just have to trust God and allow it to happen. 

PRAYER

Dear Lord, You know I struggle sometimes, and I get caught up on the little things that I can and can’t do. Help me to forget about trying to use fancy words and impressive arguments to share my faith with others. Let me be a blank canvas, just like Paul was, for your Holy Spirit to paint a beautiful picture on that those with eyes to see it will be in awe. Amen.

Today's devotion written by Elysia McEwen, LifeWay Epping