"I have no interest in giving you a chatty account of my adventures, only the wondrously powerful and transformingly present words and deeds of Christ in me that triggered a believing response among the outsiders." v18
If anyone had reason to tell stories of his adventures, it would have been Paul. However, it is a bit refreshing to read his words and hear behind them a humility that deflects any personal accolades and puts the spotlight squarely on the work of Christ in the "outsiders." I've often wondered what it was that kept Paul so focused on his calling that he could endure all of the suffering for the sake of the Message, and I think I see a glimpse here.
When the story is always about us, the end approaches rather quickly. We get discouraged and we lose sight of the ultimate Hero. When the story is about Christ and his works and his deeds, then there is an endless supply of encouragement, hope and empowerment to do what he has called us to do.
I know this to be true, but I am still trying to find the secret to keeping the story about Him and not about me. I still struggle every day with making the main story my story. How about you, are you finding ways to win occasionally and find some of that encouragement and hope and empowerment?
