Okay. Who is this nut job, this Paul? Here he is, imprisoned by Rome (v.13). He could be killed at any time. He's far away from those he cares about. And he has little opportunity to answer the critics who are out to undermine what he has done, to make themselves seem great (v. 15-17). So, what is he experiencing?
Joy (v. 4, 18). Confidence (v.6). Eager expectation (v. 20). Boldness (v. 14, 20).
HUH?? Is that what persecution does to a person? JOY??
Where's the anger? The pain? The desperation, hopelessness, sense of defeat, or sense of being wronged? Or even a call for rescue? He even sees good in this (v.12,18) !! What could possibly lead him to take this joyous attitude?
To Paul, living is Christ. The work of enemies doesn't matter. Christ matters. And what Paul does for Christ matters. God will bring all of Paul's work, and that of the Philippian believers, to completion when Christ returns. All that Paul is working for is already set up, so nothing can be done to take it away, even if he dies.
If we suffered persecution for our faith, would we remember that the same is true of us? Can we be loony enough to live in the joy of it?
Lord, come. Bring us the joy that cannot be contained by prison, the love that overflows, the harvest of righteousness that comes from Your kingdom in the day of Jesus Christ. Amen.
A challenge : take a troubling situation in your life. Look in its cracks, its flip side, under its rocks, for the good God might make out of it.