Progress through pain

 DAILY DEVOTIONS MCZ MISSION DEPARTMENT

Progress through pain

[ESV] - Philippians 1:12

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

When we go through painful or adverse events in our lives, it is easy to view them negatively. However Paul recognised that even adverse events in our lives are good if taken in the right light. They can be a springboard for good things especially in our relationship with God and others. It all depends on how we use the adverse events for the glory of God. Paul had gone through many painful moments including imprisonment, torture, being shipwrecked and all other forms of painful inconveniences. But he is clear that in all this, all he went through helped to advance the gospel.

Sometimes we may focus on the pain and forget our objective. Paul on the other hand focused on the objective more than the pain. Once we do that, even the pain becomes more bearable. In your pain there is God’s masterplan to do greater things through you. For Joseph this meant being sold into slavery by his brothers. But in the end he recognized God's ultimate good plan for the salvation of man.

Our attitude in times of pain should be to see what is the plan of God in all this. We must be attentive on how the gospel can be further spread even in the painful moments in our lives. Indeed we ought to seek progress through the pain. God bless