Morning Brew: Sunday, Oct 25

How do you react when life doesn’t turn out the way you expect? In Acts 24, we see what appears to be an absolute travesty: Paul, unjustly imprisoned for years. Up to this point Paul had a prolific ministry: planting churches, training leaders, spreading the gospel. Much of Christianity in the Roman Empire could trace its linage to the work of Paul. Left free, Paul could have continued his work for years to come. But in Acts 21 Paul is arrested, and his ‘productive’ work comes to a grinding halt.

What’s worse, he seems to be forgotten by the Roman justice system:

22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. . . 

27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison. Acts 24:22-23, 27

Governor Felix didn’t feel like dealing with the thorny issue of Paul, so he abandoned him in prison. Even when he left, he decided to keep Paul imprisoned. How do you react when life doesn’t turn out the way you expect?

What’s amazing and incredibly inspiring is to see the way that Paul reacted. Instead of getting angry, bitter or resentful, Paul accomplished some of his most productive work behind bars. Paul continued to correspond behind bars. What seemed like a disaster to the infant church proved to be a godsend to the billions of followers to come, for Paul wrote much of the New Testament behind bars. Several of the books of the New Testament that we enjoy (like Ephesians and Philippians) were written by Paul in prison. His loss was Christianity’s gain.

If life isn’t turning out how you’d expect, don’t give up, give in, or get angry. Always be suspicious that God is up to something big in your life. Your loss might be for the gain of those you love around you. How do you react when life doesn’t turn out the way you expect?