Do you feel stuck where God has you right now? As if you’re waiting for the next thing because you’re not moving forward? 

What if…God has you RIGHT where you are for a reason.  Even in the midst of pain and suffering or simply at a standstill, there is a very specific purpose for where you are.

Would you, like Paul, shackled in chains for Christ, boldly share the gospel to your captive audience?

Right now, I’m in a heavy season where my captive audience is currently three little munchkins! They are incessant and exhausting, but I am so thankful I get to do life with them every single day! I will be honest, however, that there are days where I look out the window, past my front yard and I wonder if God could use me out there and what it would look like.

And if I’m not careful, those thoughts produce a fantasy of countless opportunities of what God may have for me if only…
If only there was more time in the day…
If only I had more energy once the kids were in bed…
If only…if only…if only…

Preach like Paul – no matter where you are!

Do you think Paul wondered these same things? Maybe more like, ‘if only I wasn’t in chains‘, right? But I do think he would have loved to venture to every land possible and spread the Word of God. Because Paul was a passionate man. He believed every single word and knew his mission was to spread the Good News for all to hear!  Yet, he spent a good portion of his ministry bound by chains! 

I love how his very passion that once persecuted the Christians was now the passion that preached to them! He desired so badly to GO and share the gospel to everyone! But God’s plan looked a little differently for him.  And when I say that, I mean Paul didn’t GO…he stayed…in chains.

Matthew 28:19 is proof of where his spirited side stems, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,” He was ready and willing to go and make disciples of all nations! But what Paul maybe envisioned as a delay in the deep dark dungeon was actually the very way God would have him reach ALL nations. Because if Paul would not have been imprisoned, he wouldn’t have written some of the best books in the Bible! (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon). 

In his standstill, he had the opportunity to preach AND write God’s Word!  And not just for the people around him in those moments, but for generations to come.  Those four books that were written while he was imprisoned are four of the most encouraging books of the Bible! 

Paul’s passionate plan for pursuing his calling was redirected from what he thought his mission was to exactly what God had planned for him. 

It wasn’t a permanent place, but one with a perpetual purpose.

Friends, even if this season of life is so difficult or frustrating, we must cling to His promises,

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” [ 2 Corinthians 4:17]

Remember that ‘this too shall pass’. But don’t pray it passes too quickly, otherwise we’ll miss perhaps the greatest opportunity to share the gospel with our momentary captive audience.

“…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6

CHALLENGE: Paul didn’t just write while he was in prison, he also praised God in the process! There was even one time his praise shook the shackles right off! How cool is that? [Acts 16:16-40]

Do you praise God through the tough stages? Or just pray they pass on by? I challenge you to praise Him until the ground starts shaking! And long after that too! For it is good and so is He!! [Psalm 147:1]