Philippians 3:1 (NIV)
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
It would be very easy for Paul to fall into grumbling and complaining. His life at that moment was very difficult. He was under house arrest and had been so for nearly two years. He had the company of a few Christian friends, but even their visits pointed up very clearly his own restrictions; they got to leave when their visit was over, but he had to stay put.
But instead of focusing on his restrictions, what he wasn’t able to do, Paul chose to rejoice, to praise God for his greatness and for His consistent presence with him. He could feel God’s presence and could easily see the influence He was giving him, even over his guards. He heard consistently about the impact that his evangelistic efforts were still having, about the fruit for God’s Kingdom that was springing up all over the empire. And it filled his heart with joy.
This joy he had was not a facade designed to manipulate the Philippians (Or anyone else, for that matter). It was a genuine fruit of the Holy Spirit working in his life (Galatians 5:22-23). But it did have a profound impact on everyone who met Paul, or who read his letters. His joy and optimism, his faith, and the calm assurance that God was in control of his situation, and that He had him no matter how that situation turned out, were a powerful witness. Most people who met him, or heard him, or who read his words had life a whole lot easier than Paul did. And if Paul could rejoice in his circumstances, it left them with no excuse for their pessimism and lack of joy.
Father, these are good words for us today. Many are bemoaning the things that are going on in our lives, in our nation, and around the world today, and feeling anything but joy. But Paul’s words can help us to regain our footing and our focus in a time when everything feels like it is out of control. The fact is, no matter what our circumstances, You have the situation in hand, and You have promised that You have us no matter how things turn out. Help us to rest on that assurance, and to focus our attention on what you are doing in and through us to grow your Kingdom, so that we can rejoice no matter what. Amen.