“This passage holds great hope for the Christian ministry. “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:16) — the one who places trust through Christ in God (2 Corinthians 3:4). The minister gives his all in study and service, but ultimately human power is not sufficient for ministry or for salvation: we must depend utterly on God.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 3:4-6)
“All of us become involved in the daily difficulties and pressures of life. We become overwhelmed by them and begin to lose our perspective on God, as our problems absorb our energies and limit our vision. This happens to us as we work, as we deal with difficult persons in our lives, as we face illness or experience disappointment in spite of our best efforts. We find ourselves discouraged and weakened. At times like these, we need to lift up our eyes and once again see the grandeur and power of our all-sufficient God. As we do this, we come to understand that we can see more of God in a simple walk around the block than others see in a trip around the world.” (Rev Andrew J. Demotses)
“How many of us say to God, “Oh Father, we don’t need you yet.” C.S. Lewis wrote that people think of God the way an airman thinks of his parachute – he knows it’s there, but he hopes he’ll never need to use it. Yet think of the power we need to face the problems and temptations of modern life. Think of the inner strength we need to cope with the pressures of everyday living. When we don’t have sufficient power, we blow fuses -- and we break down. But we do have an unlimited source of power…The power of the Holy Spirit dwells within us, but we have to connect ourselves to that power.” (Father James W. Kordaris)
“Most of us cannot explain the composition of water, but we drink it. None of us know what electricity is, but we use it. Who can understand the process of love? Yet many have given their lives in sacrifice because they loved. Though we cannot explain God, most of us agree with Christopher Morley..."I had a thousand questions to ask God; but when I met him, they all fled and didn't seem to matter." To say I believe in God means more than just an intellectual assent to the existence of God. It means to trust in Him and to commit our lives to His will. We trust in God because we know our own weaknesses and inadequacies. As long as we feel sufficient to ourselves we do not need God; we call upon our own god. No person ever really discovers God until there is a felt need in his life that only God can fill.” (Rev. William Chiganos)
“ ‘But in whatever situation you may be, and in whatever suffering of the soul ... do not despair, and do not think that the Lord has abandoned you. No! God will always be with you and will invisibly strengthen you…’ The words of Saint Innocent are timely in an age of “self-sufficiency,” when we are convinced that we can handle all the situations of life with a bit of ingenuity, cleverness, and “expertise.” God is sometimes forced to break through our self-sufficiency with the crosses to which Saint Innocent refers above. There are situations in life that we then realize how only by God’s saving grace can we be strong enough to pass through a furnace of suffering or hardship strengthened and grateful for His enduring love for us.” (Fr. Steven Kostoff)
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