Here sits a man who is tired and worn down. Physically he is drained. He has been to what we call “hell and back.” Those he once trusted have abandoned him. He is alone. On the one hand he is ready to give up. On the other, he is ready to press on. You could say, he is at times conflicted.
His accommodations offer him little relief. He has no climate controlled environment. He can’t choose his diet. His freedoms are severely limited. His resting place offers no reprieve. He is in jail.
And yet, rather than complaining, he is actually rejoicing! On the outside as we look in we may be tempted to conclude that this poor soul has entered a disillusioned and delirious state mentally due to what he has experienced. Surprisingly however, that is not what is going on. No, this man has tapped into a source of joy that physical discomfort cannot drain.
The man I am talking about is Paul. And while Paul faced these difficult circumstances, he wrote a beautiful book in the Bible called Philippians. It is four chapters long and has been nicknamed the book of joy - written while Paul was himself in a dark, deadly prison.
No matter what you face today and tomorrow and the next, I want to encourage you to read the little book of Philippians this week. You too can discover the source of joy that no amount of discomfort or uncertainty can drain!
Rejoicing,
Jeff Powell
