Pastor Louie Giglio told a story of a surprising encounter in the Dallas airport many years ago. While sitting at the airport, he was reading the Dallas Morning News and catching up about the Dallas Mavericks' recent game that they had lost against the Pistons. Part of the story he read covered the star of the game, Isaiah Thomas, who had played a huge role in winning that game for the Pistons. As Giglio was reading, he heard a lot of commotion around him, so naturally, he looked up. To his surprise, Isaiah Thomas was standing right across from him. After the shock of seeing Isaiah Thomas in person wore off, Giglio realized what a poignant reminder this moment was for him to look up. You see, he had been so focused on his newspaper that he almost missed seeing Isaiah Thomas in person. On a deeper level, the moment challenged Giglio not to become so preoccupied and distracted that he missed God working and moving right in front of him throughout his life. This is a powerful lesson for you and me today as well. During our adversity, especially, we must ensure we are not missing God working right around us.
Yesterday, we talked about the start of the first church in Philippi. It was that church who Paul was writing to in the book of Philippians. Paul wrote this letter when he was in prison to share his faith and spread the message of Christ. As he was writing this letter to the Philippians, he could have focused on the hardships he was facing. Instead, he began his letter saying, "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy" (verses 3-4). Instead of even addressing his imprisonment and the hardships he was facing, Paul began his letter by focusing on the Philippian church, which he had helped start. He remembered all of the things God had done in and through his ministry instead of focusing on his chains.
As he focused on the Philippian church and all that God had done, he had great joy. This is what happens when we shift our focus to how God is moving and working around us. When we focus on all the good things God is doing around us, even in difficult times, our attitude changes. God gives us joy! After all, it is impossible not to have joy when focusing on how God has been working.
What struggles are you facing today? Like many people, has this past year been challenging as you have dealt with the ramifications of the pandemic? Maybe today you need to look up. Focus on everything that you see God doing around you and how He is working in the very difficult situation you may face today.
It is time today to look up. In order for this to become a habit in our lives, we must intentionally practice looking up. With each meal today, pause. Consider all the ways God has worked and moved in your life during your day. As you do this, you will undoubtedly find Him in the little moments and the big moments. He is there; you must simply look up.
Greetings from Paul
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.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I 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. 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.
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. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 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. 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.
Paul’s Joy That Christ Is Preached
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. 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.
It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 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. 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. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
Paul’s Life for Christ
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.
Live as Citizens of Heaven
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.
