{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"First Day","title":"2 Corinthians 2: Don't Worry About It","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1038,"description":"(CSB)Thank you for listening to First Day.1 In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? 3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.What self-awareness from Paul! Do we realize the impact that we have on others and how that affects the work of the gospel—both positive and negative? Paul didn’t want his emotions and hurt feelings hinder the movement of the Spirit. In chapter one he tells us that everything he does is to be for the sake of God’s calling—and that everything he does or doesn’t do carries spiritual significance. Paul knew that if he went back to the Corinthians in his emotional state at that time, the kingdom would have suffered. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are the ultimate source of his joy and encouragement, and if he grieves them how can he find relief. Regardless of any relational strain, Paul is “confident” that the Corinthians will share in his joy. Of note is the reason for this confidence that he supplies in verse four. “For I wrote to you with many tears our of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.” What is Paul saying here?It appears that the apostle is confident that the Corinthians will be filled with his joy because of his intent in writing them. Yes, he was harsh with them, but the correction was not to make him feel better or to put them in their place. He wasn’t keeping it real. In fact, it pained him to do so. How often do we correct people for their benefit? If we are being totally honest, aren’t our corrections more...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/QuQW_cZXSsuBMOigLtAJwx1STWkIimOEzRB22DVXWLI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzMwOC8xNTM2OTc2/NTk0LWFydHdvcmsu/anBn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}