By Carina Francke

2 Corinthians 3:5: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Someone once said that you cannot give away what you do not have. If you thus excel or do good work, don't feel affronted if people don't fuss over you because everything you have, do or accomplish are gifts from God to you (1Corinthians 4:7). In fact, you should bow down and honor God for allowing you to use His gifts to work and serve in excellence.

Paul understood this truth.  He admits that he can do nothing - not even his spiritual work without God's sufficiency. Do you know that even Jesus realized this? "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19).  Paul's desire therefore is to do his work and live his life in such a way that God approves.  And it should be ours too.

The secular world measures success by what we can do. God, on the other hand, measures a believer's success by his inward change - a change that has everything to do with the Holy Spirit working within you and a dependent and close relationship with Him. This humbleness becomes visible in the way you think, how you work, how you live your life and how you relate to other people.

If this is your life's philosophy, you have to understand that any honorable work is in fact spiritual work. "Impossible!" you might think. No, "quite possible!" if you do everything according to 2 Corinthians 3:5,"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Prayer: Father, so often I try to do things in my own strength, but it brings little satisfaction.

Maybe the reason why I feel so dissatisfied is because I seek man's acknowledgement and reward. I know that only Your sufficiency enables me to deliver work of eternal value that satisfies.  Help me to always give You first priority in my life.  Amen.