2 Corinthians 1:24 –
But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.
The first thing that passed through my head was the “traditional” southern Baptist preacher that spends his days preaching fire and brimstone. Don’t get me wrong, salvation has come from this form of teach, but for the majority of people it’s a turn off. The preacher wants to “dominate” your thoughts and actions to believe the way they believe. When building disciples that may not be the best approach and I believe Paul knew this. He is making sure they are discovering and not just following orders.
I have found that as a young Christian, I really needed to be told. But as I develop along the way, I am finding that being shaped works better. God only has one real direction to go and we should follow with passion, and developing joy is easier than being told to have joy. I reflect to going to church early on, it was downright ugly at times. With some not wanting, others not doing their tasks and then the time Nazi yelling to get out the door, we would leave the house with some ugly expressions. But the mask of joy would be put on when we made it to church.
Joy forced is not the same as joy experienced and Paul knows this. Our faith shows the joy and our experience brings forth God’s peace. Paul mentions how our suffering helps us to know comfort in God earlier in the chapter. And how the peace helps us learn joy, which in turn allows us to give others that same comfort God gave to us. It’s easy to put a smile on your face; it’s more difficult to put that smile in your heart. The key here is just go with the flow and understand joy in God.