2 Corinthians 6:12
“You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.”
What does 2 Corinthians 6:12 mean?
Paul is gently telling the Corinthians that the problem in their relationship isn't him holding back from them, but rather they're holding back from him. He's saying, "I've opened my heart fully to you, but you haven't fully opened yours to me." It's the difference between being kept at arm's length by someone else versus choosing to keep someone at arm's length yourself. When we struggle to connect deeply with others or with God, sometimes it's not because we're being rejected, but because fear, hurt, or divided loyalties are making us hesitant to let people in. Paul wants them to recognize their own role in the distance between them.