2 Corinthians 8:7
But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also. (NKJV)
Room for Growth
Consider the impressive list of areas in which the Corinthians were abounding:• Faith
• Speech
• Knowledge
• Diligence
• Love for Paul and others
I would love to have such a list like that describe me! But when I look at the list, I find that I fall short. For instance, do I abound in faith? Well, I have some faith. Speech? A little. Knowledge? I'm still growing. . . Diligence? Not always. Love for others? Some of the time.
I'm not sure that I could say that I abound in any of those things, but even if I did, there would still be room for growth. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to abound "in this grace also." From reading the preceding verses (2 Corinthians 8:1-6) we can see that the grace Paul was referring to pertained to the area of giving. It wasn't enough for the Corinthians to do all of the things they were already doing well; something was lacking--their generosity toward others.
Don't Get Too Comfortable
I don't think the point of this passage of Scripture is to guilt us into "doing more" out of a sense of duty, obligation, or fear. I believe it is more of a reminder not to become comfortable where we are in our walk with God. There are always areas to consider, ways we need to grow, disciplines we're possibly neglecting, or perhaps things in our hearts that aren't quite right.We will never do everything perfectly while we're here on this earth; there will always be room for growth. But rather than make a long list of things you need to do, listen to the Lord and follow his agenda for your life.
The best way to know which areas of your life you need to focus on is not to compare yourself with others, but to slow down a bit and allow the Lord to speak into your life regarding areas that need attention. One of the best ways to do that is to spend time daily in the Word. Read, pray, and listen to the still small voice of God, and you, too, will be one who abounds in the things God has called you to.
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Rebecca Livermore is a freelance writer, speaker and guest contributor for About.com. Her passion is helping people grow in Christ. She is the author of the weekly devotional column Relevant Reflections on www.studylight.org and is a part-time staff writer for Memorize Truth (www.memorizetruth.com). For more information visit Rebecca's Bio Page.
