Acts 19:21 – “…after I have been there (Jerusalem), I must also see Rome.”
Romans 1:15 – “So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”
BUT when Paul finally arrived in Rome, it was not the way he planned. Paul desired to preach to the Romans, but instead he was there as a prisoner.
Just imagine if this would have occurred in today’s world and Paul was the average "Christian"... he probably would have tried to solicit sympathy when things did not go his way. He may have attempted to divide his church by sending a letter to the members or by making phone calls in an effort to win people to his side. No doubt that today, a disgruntled “Christian” would be posting his grievance on social media or publishing a book in an effort to polish his halo, while attempting to tarnish someone else’s. He may have even started a "gofundme" account to support his cause. Well, those things might happen with today's average “Christian," but never with the Apostle Paul.
Paul’s spiritual maturity and single-minded focus on Christ, gave him a different perspective. Paul loved God and His Church too much to cause division in the Body of Christ... even in the midst of his suffering. Certainly, Paul suffered far more than most of us ever will and a summary of Paul’s sufferings can be found in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. In spite of the difficulties, he refused to give place to Satan! Instead, Paul simply summarized all of his sufferings in one sentence, “…the things which happened to me…”
He realized that life was not about him and he trusted that whatever came his way was part of God’s plan. Rather than bellyaching or trashing others, Paul CHOSE to praise God for his circumstances and to minister through them. The Book of Philippians is a letter written to a church that Paul started just over a decade earlier. Rather than asking those people to feel sorry for him, the Apostle Paul CHOSE to edify and encourage those Philippian believers -- even from his prison cell. He thanked them for their generosity, he encouraged them to endure suffering, he warned them against false teachers who preached heresy, and he told two feuding women to “knock it off.” Even during his time of suffering, Paul’s CHOICES proved that he trusted God with his circumstances.
Two of my favorite verses are found in Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Could it be that someone reading this devotion needs to stop looking backwards, forget what happened in the past, and press toward the bright future that God desires? To look backwards, to blame others, to seek revenge and to allow bitterness -- is a CHOICE -- and not a good one. To thank God for the trials, to trust that HE is working through them, and to seek what God has in store for your future is a much BETTER CHOICE!
So, which CHOICE will you make today? What hurt, offense, or event do you need to forget, to let go of, and to leave it in the past? Maybe a divorce, bankruptcy, job loss, neighborhood squabble, coach that that cut you from the team, best friend who double-crossed you, church quarrel or one of many other possibilities. Looking backward is like making a CHOICE to be locked inside the prison of your own making. Today, CHOOSE JOY – let go of the past, fix your eyes on Jesus and pursue the plans God has for you!
Let’s CHOOSE joy in spite of our circumstances and let the light of the Gospel shine for all the world to see!
No comments:
Post a Comment