Philippians 1. Ancient Rome – a booming metropolis with gladiators in the coliseum, home to the emperor and many wealthy and important people, and full of engineering marvels like roads and aqueducts. Somewhere, out of the limelight, the Apostle Paul is imprisoned and no longer free to travel about the empire preaching the gospel. Paul is using his time to write a letter. What kind of letter? If I was guessing – I would have said he’s probably writing the New Testament version of Lamentations, a weeping saga of destruction and things not going according to plan, a complaint letter to God. He has every reason to be grumpy and complain.

Yet that is not Paul’s response to his situation. Paul has a different perspective. He is not sucked into a cycle of despair and disappointment. Instead, he wrote this letter to the church in Philippi (Acts 16) which is widely regarded as a remarkable commentary on joy and contentment.

Paul understood that we do not control the events of the world. Maybe they go our way; maybe not. Control is an illusion. We cannot expect our lives to be problem-free, and we cannot make other people do what we want them to do. The only thing we control is our own response to life’s situations. How will we respond to circumstances we do not like? Will we look for God’s hand amid trouble? Can we accept things as they are (at least for now) and trust that He is at work?

Paul is a great role model for us as we face challenges. He responds to challenges with:

Partnership. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you… because of your partnership in the gospel (1:3,5). We all need company – friends, partners, colleagues – as we face the trials of life. Do not attempt to find joy in challenges while sitting by yourself in a dark room.

Promise. Paul has faith in the purposes and perseverance of God. I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (1:6). Like Paul, we can have confidence that God is at work in our lives and our circumstances, and that He has not forgotten us.

Prayer. In every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…  Paul spends much of his time in prison praying for others and their ministries. It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (1:9-11). During our own troubles, we can shift our focus to praying for others and their challenges and ministries. We can choose to be faithful and reliable for other people in prayer – it is good for us, and it engages the power of prayer on behalf of others in a helpful way.

Perspective. I want you to know brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel… my imprisonment is for Christ (1:12-13). Paul makes a choice to look for what good has come out of his situation. We too can make an intentional choice to look at our challenges and imagine what good might possibly come from them. There is always some gift, some good to come out of our dilemma. (I am not saying you must love your situation but simply train yourself to reflect on what good might possibly come from it.) Paul keeps a perspective that Christ will be honored… whether by life or death. For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain (1:21).

What challenges are you facing right now? How could you follow the example of Paul in partnership, promise, prayer, and perspective?

Lord, teach us the art of trusting you and looking for your hand in our situations; and give us faith to choose contentment and joy in the journey of life.