Book of Philippians – Day 1
By Gawie van Jaarsveld
Bible text(s)
A deeply rooted joy or happiness should be the outstanding characteristic of Christians and they should not be influenced, to such a great extent, by their circumstances. This is not easy! … and yes, we know that life is not a joke. Life is harsh and often unfair. But the reason for Christians’ joy is much greater than their circumstances! Paul experienced this first hand when he was locked up in prison while writing his letter to the Philippians. He even went as far as to say that death was not the worst thing that could happen to him. On the contrary, in the letter to the Philippians he said that he longed to be with Christ as it was by far the best thing that could happen to him. He even spoke about the privilege of suffering for the sake of Christ. Nevertheless, there is a sense of joy that emanates from the letter to the Philippians that renders one speechless. This is only possible when one has a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
The letter to the Philippians challenges us to live a life of joy in spite of all our complaints, worries, frustrations and fears.
Joy in spite of circumstances
• Which verse or word would you like to reflect about more?
• How did Paul manage to live with joy while locked up in prison?
