Things Are Not As They Seem

"Fellow believers, I want you to realize that my affairs have actually helped, rather than hindered, the progress of the Good News! Consequently my imprisonment for speaking about the Anointed One has become well known to the whole palace guard, and everyone else knows about it, too. Because of my imprisonment, the majority of the fellow believers, followers of the Lord, have become confident to speak the Word with excessive daring and fearlessness!" Phil. 1:12-13 The Source New Testament

Paul wanted the believers in Philippi to "see" something that was not obvious. He was empowered to "see" his circumstances through eyes that revealed goodness instead of confinement and purpose instead of ineffectiveness. He was in prison (actually house arrest during his first Roman imprisonment), and instead of touring the world preaching the gospel, he was confined to a house with a guard. People could come and go in visiting with him, but he could no longer travel.

Instead of considering himself cut off from calling, purpose and commission, he began to "see" what the Lord was doing. He he tells us that the entire palace guard and everyone else knew why he was there and the Gospel was being proclaimed to them all.

In addition to that, fellow believers who were seeing this, were becoming very bold in their lives and were speaking the Word with "excessive fearlessness." So on at least two levels, Paul saw that he was continuing in all the Lord had called him to do and that the Lord was faithful and producing fruit in the work.

Our circumstances can be seen several ways. We can cry and moan over them (and there is always enough "stuff" for that attitude to be legitimate), or we can choose in our time with Him to trust and in that faith, see with eyes that share with us what the Lord is doing in it all. May we choose trust. He is Worthy - not just of the song of our heart, but also our trust in life's circumstances - whatever they may be.