Paul writes his letter to the Philippians in prison and in dire circumstances. It might seem reasonable for us to conclude that Paul's ministry is finished, but that's not the conclusion Paul reaches: "What has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel." Here is the paradox of the Gospel and the Christian life: what often seems to us to hinder God's purpose may actually be the very means by which God advances his Gospel. Creighton Friedrich, 4 June 2023