Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a word from Philippians chapter 1.
Oh, don’t you love that portion of Scripture? Beginning with verse 12, Paul says, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”
I love, love, love that Scripture. True, I’m not like the apostle Paul; I'm not in prison—far from it! But I can identify with the bolts and bars of a prison cell. Oh, sometimes I feel so confined by the inability to move my legs or hands. Plus, this wheelchair of mine is made of a lot of metal, and, in a way, it’s my bolts and bars. Yep, I’ve been given a life sentence with my disability, and you know what? I think this is why so many prisoners write me. My testimony in Christ has encouraged them, and they look at my bolts and bars and they understand. They get it. They believe me when I talk about the freedom I can experience, despite the confinement.
And even though I know nothing of the kind of imprisonment the apostle Paul went through, I do know that I like his attitude. Like this Scripture I read a moment ago from Philippians: he basically says, “Okay, so I'm in chains! I’m not going to look at it as a minus in my life; it’s a plus: My bolts and bars help me spread the good news. Every time they chain me to another guard, he gets an earful of the Gospel. And the way I’m handling my jail time? Hey, my imprisonment helps others to become bold.”
You know, those might be the words of an apostle, but I’ve read letters from prisoners who say the same thing. “Okay, so I'm behind bars! It's a chance for me to draw closer to Christ. It’s a chance for me to really work on Bible study; like, what else am I going to do with my time?” I can say the same thing. “Okay, so I'm in a wheelchair! These bolts and bars give me a chance to spread the good news to anyone who experiences confinement and limitations. (And what one of us hasn’t felt confinement now and then?)”
So let me ask: What are your chains? Maybe you feel manacled to the kitchen sink. Maybe you feel chained to your desk with just enough slack to reach the restroom and coffeemaker. Perhaps you feel imprisoned in a difficult marriage or maybe you’re bedridden; in a hospital; dealing with a long-term illness and feeling confined. Oh, my goodness, we all can name the bolts and bars that shut us in. So think about that verse from Philippians chapter 1 and ask yourself, “Has what happened to me served to advance Christ’s Gospel? Has the power of God in my life been obvious to others? Has the way I’ve handled my confining circumstances emboldened others to trust God more?” Friend, it should, because it’s why God has placed those bolts and bars around you in the first place.
Today, I want you to join me in delighting in the confinements of life. Join me in seeing your circumstances as boundaries that the Lord has erected for a grand and glorious purpose. And if you need help doing this, please, please visit me today at joniandfriends.org and go to our radio page and ask for my booklet, A Thankful Heart in a World of Hurt. Just go to joniandfriends.org and while you’re there, tell us the ways God has advanced His Gospel through your circumstances, because you know what? With the right attitude it will lead to true lasting and deep contentment. That’s your word today from Philippians chapter 1.
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