Lesson 7: Joy serves Jesus despite circumstances

Philippians 1:1-30 – www.bible.com/bible/59/php.1 
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for His sake,
30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

*If there was one thing in your life you wish God would change so you could serve Him better, what would be different in your life? Please do not think of anything which is sin in your life, because the solution to ALL sin is found in 1 John 1:9 – you confess it (agree with God it is sin), turn your back on it as you turn to God, and He washes you clean of all unrighteousness.
 


A few years ago my answer to this question was I wanted a different job where the people I worked for did not make my life so miserable I thought I could not concentrate on God. I thought my circumstances determined the quality of my life with Jesus. I was wrong. The only problem with my circumstances was my deep desire for them to be different. I was the problem, not my circumstances.

 Joy for serving Jesus comes from viewing our circumstances as incidental to our life rather than as critical. What happens around us may be exactly as we want it, or completely opposite (verse 27), but it should have no importance at all for how we live our life for Jesus. It carries no weight whatsoever for how strong our faith in Jesus Christ can grow. We need not fear anything or any opposition because our joy and peace are a strong witness to others of who Jesus wants to be in their life too. Even if we suffer because of our testimony for Jesus, such suffering is not of any consequence to our life with Him. Peter reminded us in 1 Peter 4:12 that suffering should never come as a surprise because we live now in the enemy’s camp where our purpose is to encourage as many others as we possibly can to come to Jesus for membership in His kingdom.