Recently, I had an opportunity to counsel members of a group that had been disappointed by their leader. This leader had worked from nothing and, by using his charm, other people’s abilities, and knack for manipulation, had built a small empire. Once this empire was discovered to be built on lies, financial fraud, sexual abuse, and the abuse of people’s good intentions, the whole thing fell apart. A charismatic manipulator took in the congregation and employees, and their pride and well-being were destroyed. This is an extreme example of how we place our feelings and well-being in the hands of others, and when it goes wrong, we feel betrayed. The Apostle Paul spent much of his life lecturing and undertaking disputes within the early Christian churches. His ministry oversaw the spread of the Gospel and the impossible task of maintaining the churches’ integrity and idealistic purity and keeping unity among believers. Paul realized the discontentment in the churches was not necessarily a bad thing, depending on how it was handled. Often, an organization can be strengthened or ruined by how things are handled. Healthy attitudes can foster growth, while poor attitudes can lead to division and failure. Good leaders will accept questions and respond with answers before discontent becomes apparent. Hebrews 10:24-25 addresses this by stating, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Paul was a master at fighting the right battle without losing sight of what was at stake. Paul is known for “fighting the good fight.” There was a period in the early church that could be described as one of discontent, and Paul had to be content to address each issue. When faced with false teaching, Paul wrote in Ephesians that they “take no part in unfruitful works and expose them.” In almost every church, Paul was faced with moral and social problems that seemed out of control, but in Romans he asked that people “not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Two thousand years ago, Paul was faced with the truth not being told, a lack of unity in the churches, and questionable or nonexistent pastoral care. Paul was catching it from all sides when he addressed these problems in Galatians 6:1-2, stating, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Paul was constantly concerned with the spiritual health of the new believers and those he had appointed to lead the new churches. First Timothy 2:1, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 1:9, and First Thessalonians 5:16:18 all addressed the lack of or problems with the battles that the new believers had concerning their spirit and their beliefs. New believers and veteran believers in the first century were looking for problems, trying to overcome their discontent, and generally complaining, just like today. Second Corinthians 12:7-10 reminds us that the problems Paul faced are very much the same as those we face today. Technology and new-age ideas have changed the name of our thorn, but we still have thorns, nevertheless. This verse offers good advice: “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” We must remember First Corinthians 10:13 when we do not understand: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”