Sunday, May 15
Philippians 1:12-18

What do you think about suffering? Besides not liking it, can you see any value to it? Some people say things like, “It will all work out for the good,” or “There’s a reason for this.” That may be true, but there’s something even holier, more divine, and more meaningful related to our afflictions. In Philippians 1:13, the Apostle Paul asserted that his “imprisonment is for Christ.” Though he’d prefer deliverance (1:19), he didn’t view suffering as something to escape at all costs. Nor did he view suffering merely as a pathway to a more “blessed” future. His suffering was filled with divine purpose as it became the unexpected occasion for Paul to joyously demonstrate his devotion to Jesus and, even deeper, to reveal the infinite worth and beauty of Jesus! An outsider might have observed, “How wonderful must this Christ be that this man would so willingly suffer for him, and do it with joy?” Truly, as Paul said, “to live is Christ” (1:21).