Prison-Like Seasons

I bless you to see
What God sees in your hard times,
How…

It’s all lining up—
The good, the bad,
The happy, the sad—
“To advance the Gospel.” (Phil. 1:12)

It’s what the imprisoned apostle
Affirmed to his Philippian friends:

“I want you to know that what has
Happened to me
Has really served to advance the Gospel
So that it has become known
Throughout the whole imperial guard
And to all the rest
That my imprisonment is for Christ.” (Phil. 1:13)

Your current challenge—
The thing that feels most
Incarcerating and
Humiliating—
Is not merely a trial to endure,
It is your ministry opportunity.

What feels most limiting,
Most out-of-line
With your plans,
May be what God is lining up
For the sweetest witness of your life.

I bless you, that,
Not just “in spite of”
But also “because of”
Whatever prison-like problem
You’re facing,
You’ll advance the Gospel.