“Because of our problems” is a phrase that often is used as an excuse for not doing what we are supposed to do. We think that a problem causes a stop to a situation, but it should cause a rerouting. Most of the time, when we seek to do something, especially something for Christ, there will be an obstacle. We fret and get discouraged and sometimes quit when victory is just around the corner. Victory is not always the way we imagine it to be. It’s not always a smooth straight-line path to the finish. Most of the time there will be roadblocks, potholes, or detours in our path. We often allow our discouragement to stop us.
Sometimes, because of our problems, we can have a victorious Christian life. Paul speaks of this in Philippians 1:12-14, he explains the benefits of his problems. He is in a Roman prison when he writes the book of Philippians.
Philippians 1:12-14 “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Paul had been imprisoned in Rome, not because he committed a crime, but because he was a Christian. The journey to a Roman prison started in Jerusalem, where Paul used his Jewish heritage as a means of getting them to listen to him in Acts 22:3. They were angry that Paul would teach that Jesus was the Messiah, and they sent him with a Roman soldier to be beaten. Again, Paul uses his heritage to escape a bloody beating. He tells the centurion in Acts 22:25-26 that he is a Roman citizen. Paul had been falsely accused by the Jews, beaten, and bound as a prisoner. He had done nothing wrong. Many would see this as an opportunity to fall into self-pity, but not Paul. Because of his imprisonment, many heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was his problem of imprisonment that allowed him to preach to Felix, Festus, Caesar, and even King Agrippa. It was Agrippa that said in Acts 26:28, that he was almost persuaded to become a Christian by Paul.
Act 22:3 “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Act 22:25-26 “And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.”
Act 26:28 “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
When he was put on a ship as a prisoner to go to Rome, there was a huge storm. Paul had warned them to stay at Crete because it was not safe at this time of year. They ignored Paul’s warnings, and in Acts 27, you can read the account of the storm and eventual shipwreck. However, even in a storm, Paul seizes the opportunity to preach. He tells them to be of good cheer, that no one will lose their life, and that an angel of God had spoken to him. He continued to instruct them through the journey, and he encouraged them to eat after 14 days of fasting, they eat. However, Paul didn’t miss an opportunity to thank God in their presence.
Act 27:22-23 “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,”
Act 27:35 “And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.”
Paul eventually made it to Rome, where his preaching didn’t cease. We know he had more freedom than an ordinary prisoner. His was more like house arrest. Historians tell us a prisoner was bound at the wrist to a soldier day and night. While this was probably not the case for Paul, there would still have been a soldier with him at all times. Can you imagine how many soldiers heard the gospel while Paul was their prisoner?
We need to take Paul’s attitude when adversity strikes. Our problems give us a unique opportunity to share Christ. For instance, when COVID-19 was at its peak, I spent a few days in the hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia. As I lay there, I knew there was a purpose for me being there, besides getting well. God had given me an audience that I might never see again. I would be able to witness to people who may never enter a church or meet another Christian. I purposed in my heart to make this time honoring to Christ. I shared my faith and determined, no matter how bad I felt, that I would try to be grateful and kind to those taking care of me. It’s a simple task that can make a difference in others’ lives. It’s easy to focus on our circumstances and allow it to be a stumbling block to our testimony. We need to follow Paul’s example and let our problems work in and through us for God’s glory.
