Everybody, what is going on? You know what time it is. You're listening to join the Journey podcast with your host, Emma, daughter.

Thanks for joining. In a culture that typically equates new merit growth with success, how do believers navigate the tension between a desire for growth, success, or improvement?

With the importance of humility, surrendered dependence,

and trust in the God who ultimately grows all things.

Today, we're reading 2 Corinthians chapter 10, and I want to zoom in on a few verses at the end

of the chapter, but let me set you up first.

Here's the context.

Paul's critics were asserting that he had exceeded the appropriate parameters

or limits of his ministry by evangelizing in Corinth, which is kind of crazy in incredibly

undermining of the call God placed in his life. They arrogantly declined to acknowledge that

Paul's assignment as the apostles to the Gentiles gave him the right to minister as far from Palestine as Corinth. Basically, Paul's assignment as the Apostles to the Gentiles gave him the right to minister as far from Palestine as Corinth.

Basically, they were asserting that Paul needed to go back to where he came from and get out of their city.

You don't even go here, was their attitude.

But Paul responded by reminding them he hadn't violated the territorial limits of his apostolic charge

by planning the church

in Gentile Corinth. He planted it. Now, this might all be confusing because very rarely

do we discuss limits or boundaries when it comes to apostles sharing the gospel. But Paul's

ministry definitely had fixed, divinely set limits. He was specifically the apostle to the Gentiles. You can see that

in Acts 915 and Romans 1-5. And he was sent out to do pioneer missionary work, as one commentator called it.

And I love that phrase, pioneer meaning he was the first who was sent. But his ministry at Corinth,

it was definitely within bounds. Paul hadn't

overstepped by coming to Corinth. It was in bounds. So with that context in mind, here's Paul's

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