“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses.” (2 Corinthians 6:4)

The phrase “in much patience [endurance]” could be used to summarize all of the apostle Paul’s life. The Greek word for endurance (hupomone) is used in the New Testament over 30 times. Endurance is triumphant patience, causing the troubled saint to rise above difficult circumstances. John Chrysostom, an early church father, said endurance “is a fortress that is never taken, a harbor that knows no storm.” It describes a believer boldly facing the difficult circumstances of life.

So, what were a few of Paul’s afflictions (Greek thlipsis)? Paul uses the same Greek word to describe his “trouble which came to us in Asia” (2 Corinthians 1:8) as well as his distress in writing his sorrowful letter to the Corinthians (2:4). He also used this word to summarize the troubles that caused him deep anguish (4:16–17). Even with these great struggles, Paul obediently overcame and endured.

Paul remained steadfast under the most arduous trials, and so can any believer in Christ. “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (4:8–10).

The sufferings of this present world are not to be compared with the glory that is ours in eternity. As one saint described, “Ministry will be a wildly oscillating experience.” Through all of life’s oscillation, the Holy Spirit grants the believer the strength to endure with contentment and integrity. May we be empowered to follow Paul’s example (11:1)! CCM