Gaining Perspective

Gaining Perspective

Everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. Philippians 1:12-14

Adversity can have a silver lining. Sometimes good actually flows from unlikely places.

I think the teams I coached grew stronger from the difficult losses we endured. Many times I found myself consoling family and friends after a devastating loss. They may have been surprised by a head coach doing that, thinking, He’s the head coach, and here he is consoling me, a fan? But I knew how much the members of our team loved their jobs. I loved mine, too. I never thought or responded, “It’s only a game.” What I would say, however, is that when viewed through the lens of eternity, we’d be just fine. It may hurt now, but someday all things will be made new in heaven.

That’s why I can imagine Paul writing these words of encouragement from prison. I think we could safely say that his was a case of bad things happening to a good person. And yet Paul was energized by what had been happening before his eyes. Because he had been faithful in telling others the gospel message, others were boldly speaking out too.

In the last chapter of Acts, we read an example of Paul’s boldness. “For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him” (Acts 28:30-31).

As long as we stay focused on spreading the Good News of Christ, that He came to earth and died for us that we might have abundant life in heaven, we will continue to gain perspective and peace. Holding up any personal issue—no matter how debilitating—against the backdrop of eternity changes things, doesn’t it? And, as in Paul’s case, it’s hard to keep that change inside. We want to boldly tell other people what Jesus has done for us.

Uncommon Key > What do you need to hold up against the backdrop of eternity to change the negative into a positive? Keep your focus on the good that can come out of your story.