Everybody needs encouragement, even the Apostle Paul. He loved the church in Corinth, and was anxious for them - having received no news for some time. Like a parent, he longed to hear that they were doing well. It was not a personality weakness, or sinful faithlessness, but the product of love. These verses follow on from 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 ... Titus had been in Corinth and was returning to meet Paul travelling north, up the eastern coast road of Macedonia (now Greece), as Paul travelled north from Ephesus (now in western Turkey). Paul expected to meet Titus in Troas. But finding he was not there, Paul sailed over the northern Aegean Sea to Macedonia to search for him.

We do not know what the conflicts and fears were, but it seems that everywhere Paul was met with external opposition, and also internal anxiety because of his concern for the Corinthian church. For many days, it seemed that their prayers were unanswered, until Paul and his companion became quite discouraged. Then God acted, and Titus came to them. They were grateful to God, firstly for His kindness in arranging the meeting, and secondly that Titus gave a good report of the Corinthian church. The church had not abandoned their apostle but was earnestly concerned for the man who had brought them the gospel (Galatians 6:6). The meeting and the message both brought them great comfort.

This is an honest insight into the dilemmas of ministry and mission. It is not just a professional job; it is about loving people with truth shaped in the form of teaching, correcting, rebuking and training (2 Timothy 3:16) along with practical care and a longing for their spiritual welfare and fruitfulness (Colossians 1:9-12). It inevitably brings the pain of rejection, uncertainty, opposition, hard work and dangers of various kinds (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). It also brings the inner pains of deep personal concern for people, and churches. Such pressures may be utterly exhausting (2 Corinthians 11:28-29), but God knows how to comfort the downcast.

Patterns of ministry life seem to have fashions. Go back 100 years or more and many pioneers literally gave their lives. Now, some Christians advise separating ministry and mission from personal life, to spare ministers that pain. But you cannot find that pattern in either Old or New Testaments. Yes, we must be sensible in adopting as healthy a lifestyle as we can, but ultimately, following Jesus brings us to the pain of taking up our cross (Luke 9:23) for His sake. Like Jesus, we must sacrificially love the people where God has sent us (John 17:14-19), knowing that it may be very hard. But God knows how to comfort the downcast (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Trust Him for that, and for His sustaining strength meanwhile.