Difficult Times Refine Us for Exciting Proclamation

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14

Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Insights:  Richard Melick wrote, “All events could be redeemed for the Lord’s sake.”  Paul, as we learned last week, has been put in prison for the proclamation of the gospel.  I will speak only on my behalf, but if this occurred to me, I would probably be belly aching and complaining about the injustice of it all.  Paul, on the other hand, rejoices and worships God because he accepts the Lord’s refining process.  Paul sees his situation as a way to be chained to four different groups of guards each day.  He is looking at the prospects of the expansion of the gospel.  We know that some of these guards and even members of the emperor’s very family came to know the Lord Jesus because of Paul’s circumstances.  God redeemed Paul’s situation for His glory.  Beloved, the Lord does this in our lives as well.  He allows us to go through hard times in order to make us more dependent upon Him.  As we grow more dependent on Him, the better we are able to proclaim the gospel.  The more we proclaim the gospel, the more exciting our Christian walk becomes.  Let me challenge you to not resist the Lord’s teaching moments through the tough times, but rather embrace them and look forward with eager anticipation as to what He is going to do in you through this process.  If you will let Him work, then you will be a different person in a year from now.  He will continue to redeem your life and your situations.

Questions:

1.  Are you currently facing a difficult season in your life?

2.  Do you understand the Lord may be using this time to refine your worship of Him?

Prayer: Father, I do not enjoy difficult seasons in my life, but I am grateful for what it does in me.  I am glad those events point me to You and You use them to make me a better worshipper of You.  Amen.