All week, we have talked about how to respond when God gives us divine burdens, or needs and problems that we see around us that we cannot stop thinking about. We have learned from the cupbearer to the king of Persia, Nehemiah’s example in Nehemiah 2, who responded in boldness, even when he felt afraid, when God placed a burden on his heart to see the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. He asked the king of Persia for permission to go to Jerusalem to help rebuild its walls. We also saw how Nehemiah gave God credit when the king of Persia granted his request to return to Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s story gives us confidence that God will be with us and work as we take steps to do something about the divine burdens that God places in our lives.
We learn in Philippians 1 that God will always be at work in our lives until the day that Jesus returns. This book is written by the apostle Paul to the church in Philippi. In this chapter, he wrote to the church in Philippi, “Whenever I pray, make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now” (verses 4-5). Clearly, Paul was very fond of the members of the church in Philippi, whom he had seen grow deeply in their relationships with Christ. He continued writing, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (verse 6). Paul knew that God’s good work in the lives of the church in Philippi would continue on until the day Jesus returns.
Like the church in Philippi, God’s work in our hearts will continue on, too. This includes the divine burdens He has given us. We can trust that it is His work, and He will see it to completion. This means that as we take steps to do something about the burdens that He gives us, we can have complete boldness and confidence, knowing that He will see the work He is doing in us that started when we placed our faith in Him to completion. Have confidence in Him today.
Take time today to pray about your divine burden. As you pray, acknowledge that God is in complete control. Acknowledge that He is the one who is at work in the area you are burdened about. Declare your confidence that He is in control and at work over your divine burden.
1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
15 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. 16 They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
20 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. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
25 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. 26 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.
27 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. 28 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. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 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.
