We’ve done enough travelling that I am extremely glad to
live where we live. Our country is near the top of the “best places to live”
lists. Our city is green and rich in culture and the people excel in
volunteerism and other good things. Even our street is lovely and well kept.
The citizens of Philippi boasted about where they lived
too. Before the gospel came there, some of its women gathered near the river to
pray. Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke arrived and told them about Jesus Christ (Acts
16:13). These women, including Lydia and her family, became the church nucleus.
Trouble was not long in coming. Paul and Silas expelled a
demon from a slave girl. When her masters realized their financial gain from
her fortune telling was gone, they put these two Christians in prison. However,
an earthquake at night set them free and their jailer became a Christian (Acts
16). They appealed using their Roman citizenship and were freed from further
punishment. However, years later when Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians,
he was again in a jail, this time also due
to false accusations but in Rome. He wrote to the church in Philippi and his
joy fills each line. Even though others had mixed reactions to his situation,
he was not upset with any of it. He wrote this:
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, (Philippians 1:12–18)
Things are happening in my life too, some not so good and
with mixed reactions from others. Do I have this same joyful attitude? Can I
say that what is going on is good, that it is advancing the kingdom of God?
Some of the ways others are acting are obviously motivated by godliness. Yet, I
struggle with the people that do things out of ‘envy and rivalry’ or other
self-centered motives.
Not sure how I should think in my situation, I’ve been
praying for wisdom and direction. Because of Paul’s example, now I see that God
can use what others do even if they are ‘selfishly ambitions’ or trying to
‘afflict’ me in some way. I also understand that Paul could think this way
because this is the power of godly joy.
Joy is not a Pollyanna thing that is oblivious to
negatives. It is based on a deep trust in God that overrides those negatives.
Paul honestly could see good in what his antagonists were doing. He was
genuinely joyful because of the good and give no attention to their underlying
motivations. So far, I’ve not done that, even though I can see the good. I need
that godly joy-filled attitude to overcome my annoyance with their selfishness.
Lord Jesus, You are hinting to me that my annoyance is also selfish. It certainly is not from You or You would be disciplining the selfishness that is bugging me. Instead, You want me to rejoice that these people are serving Your purpose, even if their motivation is less than perfect. Who am I to demand purity of motivation anyway? I know that unmixed motivations rarely happen. I also know that the only way to be genuinely joyful is to be filled with Your Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) and I need all of this to be like Paul — determined to rejoice in what You are doing, no matter how You decide to do it!
Today’s thankful list . . .
An amazing event — the person we expected to die has made
a “300% improvement” that the doctors cannot explain! God answered prayer for
her. She is still needy, yet we are thankful and praising God.
Thanks, not for the deep fatigue that I’m feeling because
of praying for hours, but for God’s promise to renew my strength as I wait on
Him.
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