“Now, are you ready for the real reason I didn’t visit you in Corinth? As God is my witness, the only reason I didn’t come was to spare you pain. I was being considerate of you, not indifferent, not manipulative. 

We’re not in charge of how you live out the faith, looking over your shoulders, suspiciously critical. We’re partners, working alongside you, joyfully expectant. I know that you stand by your own faith, not by ours.

That’s why I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of us. If by merely showing up I would put you in an embarrassingly painful position, how would you then be free to cheer and refresh me? 

That was my reason for writing a letter instead of coming—so I wouldn’t have to spend a miserable time disappointing the very friends I had looked forward to cheering me up. I was convinced at the time I wrote it that what was best for me was also best for you. As it turned out, there was pain enough just in writing that letter, more tears than ink on the parchment. But I didn’t write it to cause pain; I wrote it so you would know how much I care—oh, more than care—love you!” -2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:23-2:4‬ (msg)

While Paul wrote this addressing a specific issue in the church of Corinth, it is such a beautiful reminder to all Christians! We are on the same team. We each “stand by our own faith” and “we are not in charge of how that faith is lived out” in other people’s lives. It is our relationship with God poured out through His Love that unites us. We can rest our “suspiciously critical” eyes. Hallelujah and Amen.