Church discipline causes everyone involved some grief. Paul praises the community for correcting the individual involved as he had instructed them. Now he encourages them to forgive and comfort the individual, with Paul sharing in this forgiveness. In this way Satan’s scheme to corrupt or divide the church will fail. May we learn the love that both corrects and encourages fellow believers.

Paul rejoiced in the leading of God though it wasn’t necessarily easy to discern. Even though the way opened up to preach at Troas, Paul felt convicted to continue on to Macedonia because Titus was not there. Yet Paul thanked God, who always leads us in a triumphal procession to spread the aroma of the gospel everywhere. This aroma is death to the perishing but life to those being saved. And Paul was happy to serve Christ purely and not for profit.
Application: Lord, unite our community through restoration and in preaching the gospel.
One Word: Spreading the aroma of the knowledge of Christ