He suffered a lot. In the end, he endured imprisonment. The loss of freedom. I read some verses this morning I've read dozens of times before but today I saw something new.
Philippians 1:12-14 (ESV)
12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
When Paul commented on what had happened to him he talked about his imprisonment. There was also the looming threat of execution. Two pretty good reasons to lose heart. Not Paul. He saw something different. He saw his imprisonment as an opportunity to advance the gospel.
First, he shared the gospel with the imperial guards. Can you imagine being one of those guards assigned to guard Paul for a shift. How often did Paul use those opportunities to talk about Jesus? Either those guards got saved or dreaded being assigned to guard Paul for they knew what he would talk about.
The advancement of the gospel did not stop with the guards. It spread through the guards throughout the whole prison. The gospel spread. If Paul did not just talk about Jesus, he used his free time to write about Jesus penning what we call the "Prison Epistles."
The gospel advanced in another way. Friends of Paul heard about his boldness in prison sharing Christ. This inspired them to be more bold. They spoke the word of Jesus without fear. In this way the gospel advanced inside and outside the prison.
Paul made the best of a bad situation. He made the best use of his time and opportunity to evangelize. He could have sulked. He could have remained sullen. I am sure plenty of other prisoners did. The guards would have expected such behavior. Paul's attitude and actions must have bewildered them.
In your adversity how can God use it to further the gospel? How can He use you in adverse situations to minister to others? If others see you endure with a great attitude might God use that to inspire them to do the same. If you take the focus off yourself and put it on ministering to the needs of others might God use that to inspire others to minister and serve rather than getting stuck in the quagmire of depression. If you evangelize in your hardship will God use it to help others not only get saved but inspire others to share Jesus.
Peggy was the mother of a close friend. I only met her a few times. I heard my friend Glenn talk much about her. She got diagnosed with breast cancer. One day I accompanied Glenn on a trip to visit his mother in the hospital. We'd prayed for God to heal her.
I will never forget that day. Peggy felt terrible physically. She preferred to be at home. Her stay in the hospital was lengthy. She smiled when we walked in the room. What she told us I cannot get out of mind. She said, "I have told every doctor, every nurse, every visitor and several patients about Jesus and how to get saved. I made a commitment to tell everyone who walks in this room about Jesus. " She did. She died not long after that visit.
Sitting at her funeral I could not stop thinking about her telling others about Jesus. Her son talked about his in the eulogy. She made the best of out a bad thing. We can do the same thing. With God's help we can keep loving Him, keep serving Him and keep pointing others to Him even through adversity.
If God could help Paul do it and help Peggy also, I am confident He can do the same for all of us if we are willing vessels. Some of the greatest books I've ever read were born out of adversity. Some of the greatest hymns and worship songs were too. I don't know what you are going through. I know the One who will help you through it and use you as His minister if you trust Him to make the best out of bad situations.
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