¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Phil 1:12-14

Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians from prison. Some Biblical scholars think at he was probably under house arrest in Rome, but others think he may well have been in prison in Ephesus or Caesarea. Either way, he was in prison, in chains under close guard. Now that sucks! Well according to me it does, especially when you are arrested for preaching Christ. Well according to Paul it didn’t suck but rather it “actually served to advance the Gospel”. Paul declared that he was “in chains for Christ” and that it was becoming clear to everyone around him, guards and all! Basically, the way Paul rolled was that if he was chained to a guard, that guard’s days as being a non-Christian were numbered.

Talk about seeing and joyfully working with what God is doing even through our suffering and hard times. Talk about counting it all joy whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2-4). Talk about understanding that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes. (Rom 8:28). God help us! God help me! I need more of that attitude and maturity that Paul had. I need to stop complaining and start embracing what God is doing and seeing his greater purposes. I know you’re going through stuff that you don’t like and don’t understand. Join me as we make these verses our prayer today.

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