devotional post # 2190

2 Corinthians 8:16-17

2Co 8:16  But thanks be to God, who placed into the heart of Titus the same eager concern I have for you.
2Co 8:17  Because he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very eager he is volunteering to go to you.

very eager volunteering

As I originally wrote this, I was beginning several months of home service one morning. I was jet-lagged, had just moved into a new house and neighborhood the day before, had to get up early and find a service station that serves coffee, and then I proceeded to spill the coffee all over myself, so I had to change. I did not feel like Titus did — eager to go to new places and tell them about our mission and its mission. But I wanted to feel that way.

It is often surprising how difficult it can be to carry out something deeply desired. A calling may be clear, the intention sincere, and the heart willing, yet the obstacles rise like mountains. Fatigue, discouragement, unexpected resistance, and the sheer weight of daily responsibilities can make even the most cherished tasks feel impossible. Desire alone does not remove hardship. Even the strongest commitments can be tested by circumstances that drain strength and cloud vision.

In moments like these, it helps to remember the quiet examples of people such as Titus and the unnamed workers who appear throughout Paul’s letters. They were not superhuman. They faced their own limitations, pressures, and fears. Titus had traveled long distances, navigated tense church situations, and carried emotional burdens on behalf of others. The brothers who accompanied him dealt with the same uncertainties and dangers that Paul faced. None of them possessed unlimited strength. None of them moved through ministry untouched by hardship.

Yet they kept going. They continued their work not because the path was easy, but because the mission mattered. Their perseverance was not the result of perfect conditions but of steady faithfulness. They pressed forward even when tired. They fulfilled their responsibilities even when discouraged. They carried messages, delivered reports, encouraged churches, and supported Paul’s ministry because they believed that obedience was worth the cost.

Their example becomes a quiet encouragement. It reminds believers that perseverance is not about having ideal circumstances or boundless energy. It is about continuing the work entrusted by God, even when strength feels thin. It is about recognizing that others around us—people seen every day—are also carrying burdens, facing obstacles, and yet choosing faithfulness. Their endurance becomes a testimony that the work can be done, not because the workers are strong, but because God sustains those who keep moving forward.

Remembering such examples helps reframe personal struggles. The obstacles do not mean the calling is mistaken. The difficulty does not mean the desire is misplaced. It simply means that faithfulness requires endurance. And endurance grows when the eyes are lifted to those who walk the same road, quietly pressing on, trusting that God supplies what is lacking and strengthens what is weak.

LORD, give us the heart of Titus. We want to serve you, and we want to want to serve you.