What is confining you today? Your circumstances are actually boundaries that the Lord has put up for a glorious purpose – to advance the Gospel of Christ.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a word from Philippians 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 am not like the apostle Paul; I am 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? Come to think of it, 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 that 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! Look, 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?” Oh, and I can say the same thing. “Okay, so I’m in a wheelchair! Well, 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 have shut us in. So think about that verse from Philippians 1 and ask yourself, “Has what has 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 been handling 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 a glorious purpose. Oh, and please know that we at Joni and Friends care about your struggles, too. Contact us today on my radio page at joniradio.org. We want to hear from you! And we want to join our Savior in heaven in interceding for your special needs. Again, just write us your prayer requests at joniradio.org and then, please keep us posted on how you’re doing and what’s going on. Thanks for listening!
© Joni and Friends