"In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you."
So...did you do it? Were you able to be a Titus to someone yesterday? I gave it a shot, but it didn't turn out to wrap-up with the perfect, little bow on top as I had imagined it would. And you know what? That's okay. We are not in charge of the outcomes. We give the care, but God gives the cure. He just calls us to be obedient and to love people in His name. So, if we did that, we were successful, and God smiles on us. You can take that to the bank, my friend. But I'm still not giving up on this woman from yesterday -- she needs more than just one day's love for sure.
So then today, I skipped down six verses this morning because I saw the name Titus again. Now, let me remind us what we had read about Titus yesterday: For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus...
Remember, that Paul was beaten down, downcast, and just plain ol' depressed. Yes, even The Great Paul felt depressed at times. But then God stepped in and personally gave comfort to Paul through a fellow-believer named Titus.
God doesn't have physical hands that we can see, so He uses the ones we can see. I'm sure God could blink and make Himself some hands if He wanted them, but I wonder if that would be like an enormous gorilla with hands fit for a chipmunk -- He could do it, but it just wouldn't make sense compared to His greatness. So he uses my little, less-intimidating chipmunk hands to care for your chipmunk hands. It's really a kind thing for Him to do, because though I know I could trust His massive, strong gorilla hands, they still might startle me just a bit.
Oh wow, I digress. Times ten.
Then today: In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
Here's what God reminded me: Titus was able to give encouragement and refreshment to others who were depressed because he had, at one time, been depressed and received encouragement himself!
I mean, let's be honest. Who wants to hear someone else tell them how to lose weight when that person has never had to watch their calories because they've always just "had high metabolism." Or for someone to tell you how to raise your children when they haven't had children. Or for someone to tell you how to get over your grief when they have never lost someone so dear to them.
Titus was able to give comfort, encouragement, and refreshment to Paul because he had needed it and received it recently, too.
I hope that can be encouraging to us. If you are in Paul's shoes of depression today, keep holding on. God hasn't forgotten you. He sees your tears and hears your moaning. In fact, you can trust that the Holy Spirit is praying for you even when you can't. Romans 8:26 is one of my favorite verses when I am depressed. It says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." So, sometimes I just say, "Lord, I don't know what to pray, but I know the Holy Spirit is doing it for me, and I know You hear Him. Thank you."
Though our sorrows last for a time, joy will come!
And I can say that to you will full assurance, because I have been there. I've sat in the dark on my bed while my mom was dying in the hospital down the road, and not a single word would come out of my mouth to the Lord. I've sat at our kitchen table with my head in my hands when Josh and I both lost our jobs within a few weeks of each other. We had fifty-three cents in our bank account, and not a single word would come out of my mouth to the Lord. Those were a Funk with a capital F.
But God, in His great mercy and wisdom, used those times in my life to shape me and make me more like Him. I see the results as I look at myself now compared to who I used to me. He uses those painful times, and He is absolutely, 100 percent, without a single doubt, is using yours, my friend.
And one day, if you keep hanging on to Him, He will use these circumstances and this "funk" in your life to be the Titus in someone else's life, because by then, you will have some really loving, understanding, caring, and compassionate chipmunk hands.
Hold on. He's not through with us yet.
Molly Monroe
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