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Scripture • World English Bible
Ephesians 3:7–13
7of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
8To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,
10to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,
11according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
13Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
Reflection
Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:7–13 give us a window into how grace and suffering work together in the life of a servant of Christ. He describes his ministry as given “according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.” That’s a sober, encouraging reminder: our service is not self-sustained hustle but God’s gracious gift and power at work through us.
Paul calls himself “the very least of all saints,” yet the same grace made him a messenger “to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Humility and calling coexist. God often entrusts great responsibilities to those who know their own weakness so that his power is unmistakable. If you feel inadequate for the task before you, that may be the very place God chooses to show his strength.
Notice too how Paul connects ministry with a cosmic purpose: the administration of the mystery “to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places.” Our everyday faithfulness—the small acts of gospel service, prayer, and witness—participates in an eternal, spiritual unveiling. Your obedience matters beyond what you see.
This passage also gives us courage for hard seasons. Paul didn’t deny his hardships; instead he asks, “Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.” Suffering in ministry is real, but it is also meaningful. When trials come because of faithfulness, those hardships can become part of the church’s glory—proof that God’s purposes endure and are worked out through perseverance.
Finally, Paul’s confidence is not in himself but in Christ: “In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.” Courage in calling is not bravado; it is the secure standing we have before God through faith. That gives us permission to serve, to risk, and to endure without the crushing fear of failure.
So, take heart. The grace that calls you is the same grace that empowers you. Your weakness is fertile ground for God’s power; your trials can magnify his glory; and your access to God steadies you for every task he gives.
Putting Faith Into Action
- Identify one gift God has given you and commit to serving in that role for at least three months—regularly, prayerfully, and with humility—so God’s power, not your effort, gets the credit.
- When fear or inadequacy arises, speak Paul’s truth aloud: “In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him,” then take one bold step (start a conversation about Jesus, lead a Bible study, visit someone in need).
- When you face hardship because of your faith or service, record the struggle and give it to a trusted brother or sister in Christ; pray together that God would use that suffering for the church’s good rather than letting it make you lose heart.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for the grace that calls and equips me. When I feel weak, fill me with your power. When I face trouble, keep my heart from despair and use my suffering for your glory. Give me boldness to serve and confidence to come before you by faith. Amen.
Memory Verse
Ephesians 3:12 — In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. (WEB)
“In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.”
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Ephesians 3
World English Bible • WEB
1For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,
2if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you,
3how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,
4by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,
5which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit,
6that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
7of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
8To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,
10to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,
11according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
13Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.
14For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
16that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,
17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,
19and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain