Finding Joy in Suffering

Philippians 1:12-26

Joy in Christ Transcends All Circumstances

Paul was called to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Throughout his ministry, he suffered so much for spreading the Good News. He listed his suffering in 2 Corinthians 11:22-29:

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

Paul who underwent so much suffering, wrote this poignant letter to encourage the persecuted Christians of the church in Philippi and to strengthen them in the difficulties they faced. Paul wrote while in prison—that he, too, was suffering for his faith—but he demonstrated that a Christian can have joy in Christ regardless of the circumstances.

How are we going to attain that – rejoice in the Lord even in bad times?

vv.12 -14: We can turn a bad situation into a good one

Being imprisoned would cause many people to become bitter or to give up, but Paul saw it as one more opportunity to spread the Good news of Christ. Paul realized that his current circumstances were not as important as what he did with them.  He chose to turn a bad situation into a good one.

In that, he reached out to the Roman soldiers, who made up the palace guard. The ‘place guard’ here referred to the workers in the emperor’s or provincial governor’s official residence.

As a result of Paul’s courage and boldness, the believers had become more daring and less fearful in proclaiming God’s message. Paul’s boldness was contagious. For these reasons, Paul rejoiced over his imprisonment.

Today, we may not be in prison, but we still have plenty of opportunities to be discouraged—times of indecision, financial burdens, family conflict, church conflict, or the loss of our jobs. How we act in such situations will reflect what we believe.

Whether it is an actual prison or a place that feels like one, by God’s grace we can turn bad situation to good, to serve him faithful and joyfully. We are to find joy even in the midst of suffering. Use suffering to build our character. Don’t resent it or let it tear us down.

Like Paul, look for ways to demonstrate your faith even in bad situations, whether or not the situation improves, our faith will surely grow stronger. When we speak fearlessly for Christ or live faithfully for him during difficult situations, we encourage others to do the same.

Be an encouragement by the way that you live!

vv. 15-19: Maintain a selfless attitude

Paul had an amazingly selfless attitude.

He knew that some were preaching to build their own reputations, taking advantage of his imprisonment to try to make a name for themselves. They were believers who were critical of Paul. Regardless of the motives of these preachers, Paul rejoiced that the Good news was being preached.

Some Christians serve for the wrong reason. Paul would not condone, nor does God excuse their motives, but we should be glad that God uses their message regardless of their motives. So we still can rejoice if we put the well-being of God’s kingdom above our own loss.

If we study Paul’s life in detail, we will realise that Paul in his own time had never appeared to be a promising, super apostle, but the opposite was true. He was despised and slandered even by the very congregation he built up. His active ministry actually spanned less than 15 years. He suffered in so many ways including living in prison.

In such a low esteemed scenario, Paul could have become depressed, discouraged, or disillusioned. He could have wallowed in self-pity and despair. Instead, he regarded his ministry and suffering as being appointed by God.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”

So Paul persevered through his ministry and completed the race. Paul had exercised extraordinary faith in being obedient to God’s calling.

It was so wonderful that God not only used Paul’s imprisonment in Rome to bring the gospel to the centre of the empire, but also gave Paul lots of time to write letters that would one day end up to be significant part of the New Testament and give us much teaching and encouragement.

But of course Paul only began to emerge as the greatest apostle many years later, definitely not in his life time. So, Paul’s faithful service paid off. God will indeed honour his great servants. We can see this in the lives of many of God’s great servants.

Today, God will surely honour you and me as we step forward to serve him faithfully, selflessly and courageously. We can rejoice in the Lord even if reward and vindication may be realised only in the distant future.

vv. 20-26: Making Christ the centre of our lives

Awaiting trial, Paul thought he could either be released or executed. However, he trusted Christ to work it out for his deliverance. Paul’s prayer was that when he stood trial, he would speak courageously for Christ and not be timid or ashamed.

Paul wrote, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (v21).

Whether he lived or died, Paul wanted to exalt Christ. Paul found that his whole purpose in life was to serve Christ, worship Christ, to become more like him, and to tell others about Christ, who alone could help them see life from an eternal perspective.

Paul also confidently said that dying would be even better than living, because in death he would be removed from worldly troubles, and not only that; he would be able to see Christ face to face.

For believers in general, death holds no fear, for death leads directly into the presence of Christ. If you are not ready to die, then you are not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve—devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death.

Paul was torn between two desires: to be with Christ, which would be far better for him or continue to live so that he could serve the needs of God’s people. Finally, Paul said, ‘for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.’

Paul considered the well-being of the church as more important than his own desire to be with Christ. He found the purpose for living when he served the Philippians and others.

We also need a purpose for living that goes beyond providing for our own physical needs. Who are you serving or helping now? What is your purpose for living?

To people who don’t believe in God, life on earth is all there is, and so they set their hope and purpose on romantic love, on career, on politics or a social cause, and on money or wealth and what it will do for us. These are good things, nothing wrong to pursue them. But we are fooled by Satan when we turn them into ultimate things, or when our hearts deify them as the centre of our lives. 

We think that we now are unfulfilled because we simply haven’t’ been able to achieve these things above. And so we can live almost our entire lives without admitting to ourselves the depth of our spiritual thirst which only God can satisfy.

Actually, all the good things outside cannot truly satisfy the thirst that is deep down inside us for they are merely ‘idols’ or ‘counterfeit Gods’. If you make any of them as ultimate purpose of life, it will fail you miserably.

First, it will enslave you. Whatever that thing is, you will tell yourself that you have to have it or there is no tomorrow. That means that if anything threatens it, you will become inordinately scared; if anyone blocks it, you will become inordinately angry; and if you fail to achieve it, you will never be able to forgive yourself.

But second, if you do achieve it, it will fail to deliver the fulfilment you expected. Not only that it can even enhance the inner emptiness or result in suicidal. So many people of substance or extraordinary success can testify to this paradox of life.

The only way to free ourselves from the destructive influence of counterfeit gods is to turn to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

Christ died on the cross for our sins. As believers in Christ, we also have died to ourselves and have risen with Christ. We owe everything to Christ. He is our master and Lord; we belong to him. We no longer live simply for ourselves.

Let’s submit to Christ’s rule in our lives, devoting our lives to his service. Let ‘living for Christ’ be our ultimate purpose of life. That is to say, let Christ be the centre of our lives.

In a life of service for Christ, we will gain deep soul satisfaction, incredible satisfaction and contentment that do not depend on what is happening outside of us. For “Christ is enough”; he is the only saviour who if you gain him will satisfy you, and if you fail him will forgive you.

Conclusion

Though Paul was in prison, he was not ashamed but rejoiced that it had resulted in a great spread of the Good News. He desired to be bold for Christ, rejoice in Christ, whatever the consequences, for he knew he was called to live for Christ.

As he made Christ the centre of his life, he was very sure of his destiny on earth and after death. He found and fulfilled the purpose of life that God laid before him.

The outcome was that, God used him mightily to leave the greatest legacy for his kingdom, and he in turn experienced the full power of Christ’s resurrection.

We should imitate Paul’s life and attitudes: ready to turn a bad situation into a good one; maintain a selfless attitude; and let Christ be the centre of our lives. We will be able to experience a life of joy, peace, contentment, prayer, thanksgiving which can transcend all circumstances.