For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me. Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.
Philippians 1:20-30 NLT
How can we stay encouraged when life brings us down? For Paul, being a Christian meant joining in the suffering of Christ for the world. Paul was in prison, and the mPhilippians faced opposition. He encouraged them to stay strong, living as citizens of heaven. Paul faced death, but he stayed strong by trusting in God. He understood. how his suffering furthered the gospel.
We will go through hard times in life. Jobs will be lost, relationships will go awry, cars will break down, and things will fall apart. Jesus offers us His strength so that we won't fall apart as well. He won't take away the struggles of life, but He is with us and gives us His strength. Following Christ means we will go through more hardships because the way of the world is tilted against the sacrificial way of Christ. As His followers, we run into hardships and fight injustices, yet we do not despair because we walk with the Resurrected One.
In what ways are you dealing with discouragement right now? How can the example of Paul, who was persecuted yet stayed encouraged in Christ, help you today?
