Joyful Living Devotional - Day 7
Day 7 – What Lens Do You Use?
Philippians 1:12-14(NLT) And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
Things happen, both good and bad; that is part of life. None of us has control over what happens to us. This is not a negative statement, it is a statement of truth. We live in a broken and fallen world, among broken and sinful people, and this brokenness is the cause of many of our challenges. One of two things can happen. First, we could resign ourselves and simply throw up our hands and say, “That’s life. It is just the way things are. Nothing to see here.” Or second, we could ask the Lord to give us His perspective and see all things through the lens of God’s goodness, mercy, and ultimately His wisdom.
Paul is writing from prison, not a good place, we can all agree. He is being watched by the Praetorian guard. The Praetorian Guard was the Imperial Guard of Rome. They were set up by Augustus as a select group of 10,000 troops, which later expanded to over 16,000. They were the only soldiers allowed in Rome. It was to the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, their commanding officer, that Paul was handed over to when he arrived in Rome. Acts 28:16(NLT) When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier.
Paul was essentially on house arrest; however, no ankle bracelets were being monitored (as is done today). He was chained to a guard by a chain that attached to his wrist and the guard's wrist. There was a rotation of guards, especially since Paul was guarded 24 hours a day. In this context, Paul writes to the Philippians and says: “And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.” How can being in prison, being greatly limited, be the cause of the gospel being spread?
It all depends on the lens you use. If we look only from a natural perspective, we will see only a prison, a chain, and a prisoner chained to a guard. But if we use God’s lens of goodness, mercy, and wisdom, we will see a chain reaction of the Good News of Christ penetrating the most resistant of all places. What we see as a limitation, God uses as a proclamation. What we see as a difficulty, God uses as an opportunity. What we see as an impossibility, God uses for His glory!
If you think Paul was the captive, you are sadly mistaken. The Lord delivered several different soldiers to Paul each day so he could share the Good News of Jesus with them. Imagine being one of the soldiers chained to Paul as he receives guests, like the gift the Philippians sent through Epaphroditus. I can imagine the guards listening to the stories, watching Paul write the letters, and Paul and his guests sharing about what the Lord is doing in the churches and how the Philippians are sending support to Paul. Their interest must have piqued. The questions must have come, and who better to talk about Jesus than Paul the Apostle?
No wonder Paul writes in verse 13, “For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.” Every one of those guards knew that Paul was in prison not for any other reason except that he served Christ Jesus! Paul could’ve bemoaned what happened to him. He could’ve complained or griped, yet he writes the most joyful letter in the most difficult circumstances because he knows the Lord is using his imprisonment to reach a group of people who would otherwise be hard to reach. Paul uses God’s lens of mercy to extend mercy to his captors. When we shift our perspective from ourselves to our purpose, something happens not only to us but also to those around us.
“And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.” The resolve of the believers in Rome is strengthened, and these persecuted believers are gaining a boldness they would not have had if it were not for Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. Talk about a chain reaction! The guards are hearing the Gospel, the believers are preaching it with newfound boldness, and letters are being sent to the churches that we have the privilege of holding in our hands today! How amazing is our God!
“We are not responsible for the circumstances we are in, but we are responsible for the way we allow those circumstances to affect us; we can either allow them to get on top of us or we can allow them to transform us into what God wants us to be.” – Oswald Chambers
What lens are you viewing your life through right now? Do you think of the bad only as bad, or do you look at your life in view of God’s mercy, grace, and wisdom? The lens you use will determine the level of joy you possess. The more we realize that we are not in control and that our Heavenly Father is, the more we can live in the joy He has for us.
Maybe it’s time to get on our knees and consult the “Divine Optometrist” for a new set of lenses…
Prayer:
Philippians 1:12-14(NLT) And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
Things happen, both good and bad; that is part of life. None of us has control over what happens to us. This is not a negative statement, it is a statement of truth. We live in a broken and fallen world, among broken and sinful people, and this brokenness is the cause of many of our challenges. One of two things can happen. First, we could resign ourselves and simply throw up our hands and say, “That’s life. It is just the way things are. Nothing to see here.” Or second, we could ask the Lord to give us His perspective and see all things through the lens of God’s goodness, mercy, and ultimately His wisdom.
Paul is writing from prison, not a good place, we can all agree. He is being watched by the Praetorian guard. The Praetorian Guard was the Imperial Guard of Rome. They were set up by Augustus as a select group of 10,000 troops, which later expanded to over 16,000. They were the only soldiers allowed in Rome. It was to the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, their commanding officer, that Paul was handed over to when he arrived in Rome. Acts 28:16(NLT) When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier.
Paul was essentially on house arrest; however, no ankle bracelets were being monitored (as is done today). He was chained to a guard by a chain that attached to his wrist and the guard's wrist. There was a rotation of guards, especially since Paul was guarded 24 hours a day. In this context, Paul writes to the Philippians and says: “And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.” How can being in prison, being greatly limited, be the cause of the gospel being spread?
It all depends on the lens you use. If we look only from a natural perspective, we will see only a prison, a chain, and a prisoner chained to a guard. But if we use God’s lens of goodness, mercy, and wisdom, we will see a chain reaction of the Good News of Christ penetrating the most resistant of all places. What we see as a limitation, God uses as a proclamation. What we see as a difficulty, God uses as an opportunity. What we see as an impossibility, God uses for His glory!
If you think Paul was the captive, you are sadly mistaken. The Lord delivered several different soldiers to Paul each day so he could share the Good News of Jesus with them. Imagine being one of the soldiers chained to Paul as he receives guests, like the gift the Philippians sent through Epaphroditus. I can imagine the guards listening to the stories, watching Paul write the letters, and Paul and his guests sharing about what the Lord is doing in the churches and how the Philippians are sending support to Paul. Their interest must have piqued. The questions must have come, and who better to talk about Jesus than Paul the Apostle?
No wonder Paul writes in verse 13, “For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.” Every one of those guards knew that Paul was in prison not for any other reason except that he served Christ Jesus! Paul could’ve bemoaned what happened to him. He could’ve complained or griped, yet he writes the most joyful letter in the most difficult circumstances because he knows the Lord is using his imprisonment to reach a group of people who would otherwise be hard to reach. Paul uses God’s lens of mercy to extend mercy to his captors. When we shift our perspective from ourselves to our purpose, something happens not only to us but also to those around us.
“And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.” The resolve of the believers in Rome is strengthened, and these persecuted believers are gaining a boldness they would not have had if it were not for Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. Talk about a chain reaction! The guards are hearing the Gospel, the believers are preaching it with newfound boldness, and letters are being sent to the churches that we have the privilege of holding in our hands today! How amazing is our God!
“We are not responsible for the circumstances we are in, but we are responsible for the way we allow those circumstances to affect us; we can either allow them to get on top of us or we can allow them to transform us into what God wants us to be.” – Oswald Chambers
What lens are you viewing your life through right now? Do you think of the bad only as bad, or do you look at your life in view of God’s mercy, grace, and wisdom? The lens you use will determine the level of joy you possess. The more we realize that we are not in control and that our Heavenly Father is, the more we can live in the joy He has for us.
Maybe it’s time to get on our knees and consult the “Divine Optometrist” for a new set of lenses…
Prayer:
- Ask the Lord to help you let go of the need to control everything and place your complete trust in His wisdom.
- Pray and ask the Lord to give you a fresh perspective on the challenges you face, and invite the Holy Spirit to grant you peace as the Lord brings His purpose and plan for your life to fruition. Romans 8:28 (NLT) “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
- You might not choose what you go through, but you do choose how you go through it. Pray for renewed insight into God’s love so you know you are God’s beloved and that He is working out a greater purpose, even if you don’t see it yet.
Posted in Joyful Living Devotional