Living Large in a Small World: A Look Into Philippians 1Sample

Defying Limitations

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. . . . You will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me (Philippians 1:25-26).

At no point did Paul seem outraged or put out by the injustice of his imprisonment. In fact, in many ways he asked for it (Acts 25:11-12; 26:32). For him, everything was an opportunity, not a setback. Even his “setbacks” furthered his mission.

That’s because Paul saw the mission as the priority. Everything he experienced on earth could be leveraged either to advance the Kingdom or demonstrate it.

If people were growing into the image of Christ through Paul’s ministry, the Kingdom was expanding on earth. If he was thwarted in his effort to win and develop new believers, the adversity gave him a stage to display Kingdom attitudes and perspectives. No matter what happened, the Kingdom within him and beyond him could not be suppressed. Every attempt to stamp it out would strengthen it—at least as long as he maintained the right perspective.

Paul could have that perspective because he knew that Christ was working in him—that this was Jesus’ mission, not just Paul’s. He was driven by the love of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14), empowered by the God who can do more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 1:19-20; 3:20), filled with the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), and shaped both to desire and to accomplish God’s purposes (Philippians 2:13).

In other words, this was no human endeavor. It was divinely orchestrated, empowered, and fulfilled.

Re-Envision Setbacks

If Jesus is at work within you, then every situation is an occasion for him to work through you. He is never thwarted by your circumstances; he is using them to advance his Kingdom. He is never limited by the people around you; his Spirit is irrepressible as long as you rest in him. Even your own mistakes are no obstacle; God has a long history of working through flawed people and incorporating their flaws into his plans.

Like Paul, you can look at everything in your past and present as Kingdom collateral. One way or another, it can serve God’s purposes—and, if your vision is aligned with his, your purposes too.

This perspective is hard to maintain unless you’ve caught a vision of the irrepressible God who never throws his hands up in resignation over anything in your life. No matter how much you regret a situation or decision, it’s material for him to work with. The Christ who is living within you is not frustrated by your limitations. He leverages them—and all your experiences—for his Kingdom. In everything you encounter, let him.