DO NOT LOSE HEART
1 THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.
2 BUT WE HAVE RENOUNCED THE HIDDEN THINGS OF SHAME, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (NKJV)
The hidden things of dishonesty shame or disgrace should be renounced by whoever is entrusted with any work or assignment by God (2 Corinthians 4:2).
A believer, much more a minister, should not walk in craftiness and should not handle the Word of God deceitfully. When you live right and do whatever God says you should do, you leave the people with their conscience to decide on what to do. If someone or people would believe or accept your ministry or not, the decision should be left in their hand to decide—you should not be bothered about it at all.
There should be no agitation on the part of a minister whether his or her person or ministry would be accepted or not, he or she should just simply live a righteous life and do whatever they are bidden or commanded to do by God.
Apostle Paul further said in the passage, the text of this teaching, that If the goodnews or gospel being preached was veiled to some people, it was veiled to those who are perishing, those who's mind the god of this age has blinded (2 Corinthians 4:34). And not because any wrong thing was found in them, Paul and his team, who were preaching. Thus, If you are living the way you ought to live as a believer and your work or ministry is still not accepted by some people, it is because their mind is veiled or covered by the devil, not because you have done anything wrong or you are not living right.
Paul progresses in his words in verse 5 saying: "FOR WE DO NOT PREACH OURSELVES, BUT CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, AND OURSELVES YOUR BONDSERVANTS FOR JESUS’ SAKE.
If Christ Jesus is made the central theme of your messages, preaching or teaching, you should leave the people to decide whether to yield fully to God or not.
A minister should know that whatever he or she is doing, is being done for Christ Jesus, that they are bondservants because of Christ. This is where entitlement mentality should not be allowed in a believer's or minister's mind.
What is entitlement mentality? It is the belief that one is deserving of, or entitled to, certain privileges or benefits. If you did see yourself as a bondservant of Christ Jesus you would not put your trust in anyone to pay you or thinking you have done this or that for someone he or she supposed to reciprocate by giving you their substance or material things, money or whatever.
Truly and biblically speaking, the people being minister to ought to bless the minister back with their material things, but it is not for you to try to put a force on them to do it. It is quite all right to teach them about it and the rewards in the doing of it but you might not necessarily be hard on them when they are not responsive to it—when they do not practice or do it.
Entitlement mentality is when a minister had had in his or her mind that this people I am ministering to would do this or that for me and my ministry, but If the people did not do it, he might be offended and discouraged. Thinking he had laboured on them but when they ought to pay or reward him they disappointed him and were nowhere to be found.
The best approach to the ministry work that would give you rest and joy, without bitterness or acrimony against anyone, is to adopt the pattern of Apostle Paul that is found in the Book of Philippians 4:11-13:
11 NOT THAT I SPEAK IN REGARD TO NEED, FOR I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATEVER STATE I AM, TO BE CONTENT: 12 I KNOW HOW TO BE ABASED, AND I KNOW HOW TO ABOUND. EVERYWHERE AND IN ALL THINGS I HAVE LEARNED BOTH TO BE FULL AND TO BE HUNGRY, BOTH TO ABOUND AND TO SUFFER NEED. 13 I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME."
A minister should learn how to be content in whatever state he or she is. If you had enough, good, and if you did not, good as well. The Scripture says: "NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN" (1 Timothy 6:6 NKJV). Apostle Paul said he had learned in whatever state, that is, It has to be deliberately learnt. You made the choice to be contented in whatever state or condition or situation you find yourself.
Paul further said he learnt to be abased and abound. To be abased means to make the self humble, accept whatever God makes available. You endeavour to know your size per time. There would be a time for one pair of shoes and their would be a time when you have multiple numbers, you should know how to manage or comport yourself at every stage or level you find yourself.
To abound or superabound means to be in excess or superfluity, and excel, having more abundance. Being more abundant, having more than enough and to spare—excel, increase, and having more left redound or remain over and above. There would definitely be a time as being described or explained here for a minister who faithfully does his or her assignment. Apostle Paul experienced it, in which he was paying his way out or bear the monetary cost of whatever is needed—his bills (Acts 28:30).
When you concentrated on whatever you are assigned to do, you cannot but be rewarded by God for your faithfulness: "FOR GOD IS NOT UNJUST TO FORGET YOUR WORK AND LABOUR OF LOVE WHICH YOU HAVE SHOWN TOWARDS HIS NAME, IN THAT YOU HAVE MINISTERED TO THE SAINTS, AND DO MINISTER" (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV).
A time to abound or superabound or be in excess or superfluity is real and can be reached in the work of ministry, If you are loyal and faithfully committed to whatever you are assigned to do—building according to the pattern specifically given to you by God (Hebrews 8:5).
The main point being made is, a minister should learn how to be content in whatever state he or she found themselves. Your focus should not mainly be on what you would receive from the people you are ministering to, If you did allow your focus on them, you definitely would be disappointed.
Let God be there for you to meet all your needs. If you do the work as Apostle Paul did, you would have rest and peace, without being offended about those who do give to you, and those who do not.
Peace.