The Lord Jesus forgave Paul and called him to minister to the Gentiles and Israel. Jesus, as Lord and God, equipped Paul to accomplish the ministry he had given him. Paul had confidence that God was and would continue to work within the congregation at Corinth through his ministry.
Paul had confidence in God, not in himself. This did not mean that Paul sat back and waited for God to do things. Rather, Paul continued to actively engage in ministry, all the while knowing and believing that God was the one who gave him the abilities needed to accomplish the mission.
God makes us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter as the old covenant but of the Holy Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
When God reveals his purpose within ministry, calling you to purpose within the church, do not let fear of ability stop you from obeying. Know that God who calls us to mission will also equip us for that mission. This does not mean the mission will be easy, nor that we will not need to learn. Rather, it means that he will apply and use all within and without us to do what he had called us to do. We need to have confidence that God will complete his work through us.
