What is the prison in your life?

“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel…For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,” Philippians 1:12,29

Just imagine yourself for a minute now sitting in prison. How would you feel? How would you react to this new home? If you were sitting in prison would it serve to advance the gospel? Would you minister to the guards and let the let the Holy Spirit work through you to lead them to Christ? Or would you curse the Lord for the place that you were in? Are you willing to suffer for Him as Paul suffered? Can you say that in times of suffering that you are helping further the gospel? In times of suffering do you look at it as a time that you are drawn closer to God as you rely on Him more? Or is it a time that your spiritual life has dried up? Are you willing to enjoy the drought or do you try to rush through it as fast as possible just trying to make it to the other side? What is the “prison” in your life that me keep you bound up? Is it your job, family function or some meeting that you have to go to? I can answer yes to all of these. There are times that I do not enjoy the above. Yet, as I draw closer to God and come to Him to carry me through, I can rest assured that I am furthering the gospel. What would happen if your bossed asked you to do the worst possible task at work and you simply replied no problem? I can speak from personal experience when we set aside our personal agenda and look at everything we do as serving the Lord it can be so rewarding. Brothers and sisters of Hillside I pray that we can come to enjoy the times of being in “prison”, times of suffering and that we see it as an opportunity to further the gospel.

God Bless,

Rick