Weekly Devo: Benefits of a Grateful Heart - Eternal Perspective

What is the first thing you do when trouble comes? Me? I too often look down. You do too. Hardship is never easy. We are people that easily discover fear, anxiety, hurt, pain, frustration, and similar realities. Why? It is because we are looking down. What is at your feet? 

Paul gives testimony that in spite of his circumstances, he can find joy in the midst of trouble. We need to remind each other through testimony and the Word of God that can give us hope in spite of our circumstances. Trouble is difficult, no matter what the nature of the trouble being.

We are reminded that God is faithful in the midst of hardship. God does not disappoint. People will let us down and even betray our trust, yet we know of God‘s grace in the midst of hardship.

I’m grateful whenever I have the opportunity to chat with people about their faith journey. I believe that all of us have a story to tell. Though details may not be easy to tell about yet, we know that it tells us of God‘s faithfulness, no matter the circumstances. It also reminds us that we should help one another in every storm of life.

We can become downcast and discouraged in the circumstances of life. The series that we have been on have intended to explore what it means to have a grateful heart. 

Since this month is Thanksgiving, we’re focusing on others. It means that there are needs beyond ourselves. We are collecting nonperishables for the ministries of New Life as well as United With Love.

It starts with Thanksgiving and then it moves quickly into having the right attitude. But it goes further than that as we will see today. In my remaining moments, I want to quickly help us to understand how Paul can feel like he can run the race even though he’s in chains.

Paul says there is an eternal perspective we should consider. He doubles down on the opportunity for joy in the midst of his hardship. It is a view that requires faith and results in fruit! 

When we look up, we find a perspective that is renewed by our faith in God. It is never easy, but it gets easier. I heard it said that UP is where the sun can shine! (The sun above the clouds is always shining.) 

Paul says something similar in Philippians 3:14 when he writes, "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." 

I’ve been to a lot of track and field events. When I was a youth pastor, I would get to as many of these student events as I could. Having children that have participated in athletics, I have also enjoyed being their professional photographer. My boys were in football and track. (As well as my daughter but her specialty was in music.) Perhaps there’s something we could say that relates to our message? Paul says to put no confidence in the flesh! (Philippians 3:3-4)

Like the track event, the relay races, when you have to hand over the baton, you must look up, not down, to maintain the speed toward winning the prize. This is a relay when you can depend on God but run this race with others (on your team) to maximize the time and distance. The carrier of the "message stick" (aka, baton in ancient Greece) is telling your teammate to continue.

When was the last LONG race you had to run? How hard and long was it? Was it easier when you ran with others? How does it help you to know that Jesus is in the race with you?

Paul writes that we are to put no confidence in the flesh but in the spirit! The Bible says that we will bear fruit if we are disciples of Christ. Though our journey is not easy, we can discipline our bodies. The result is fruit that lasts! 

For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! - Philippians 3:3-4

You’ll notice that I am comparing Philippians chapter 3 with Galatians chapter 5. What’s the connection? Paul indicates that we are to grow spiritually; by God’s Spirit. What does that mean? It means bearing fruit that will last.

The Bible says in Galatians: 22 and 23 what the fruit of the Spirit is. You’ll notice that it is not plural but singular. There are nine different identified values that are expressed in the spiritual fruit of the Spirit. Each of these nine is developed over time. They are given to us as gifts from God, but only as we walk in the Spirit of God.

Take a look at them. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Gal. 5:22-24)

Turn them inside out and upside down and you will find that they are all related to love. That’s right, if you were to add these as ingredients in a recipe, the outcome would be love. You see, they are love, joy, peace, patience, (long-suffering), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control. It further says that there is no law preventing these actions.

When we look at what suffering does to us, we should understand that it is intended to grow us and make us mature in Christ. I know that I am not who I once was, but I am not who I am yet to become. I am on a journey, or a race like Paul describes. Though I am running I have not yet obtained fully.

What’s today’s lesson? Paul is trying to help us to avoid the destruction of sin, but by growing in grace. We find that on this journey of gratitude, we must see God‘s kingdom at work within us. This is the fruitful life of a believer. It goes beyond religion, by the way. Religion works from the outside in, which could make us legalistic or narrow-minded but it can never make us whole! 

We know this because it is the result of a work within that is transforming us, and who we ought to be. Religion simply points the way, but a relationship with Christ becomes our way of life. The fruit of the Spirit changes us from within.

It goes without saying, but it perhaps needs to be said that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin in our lives. It cannot be done through our own human efforts. We may achieve some, but it is not supernatural changes that are happening to us. If we are to be changed supernaturally, then we must recognize that it is God at work within us.

We know that Paul tells us to have joy, which is a product of the work of the Holy Spirit. Joy must come from beyond ourselves, but it does reside within us as we walk in the Spirit. We receive - in the Spirit - fruit that lasts.

Pressing toward the Goal:

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. - Philippians 3:12.

Paul further tells us that we should abandon sin by replacing it with the disciplines as well as the fruit of the Spirit within us. While we may always have temptation, we can strengthen this spiritual body by exercising our faith through the Spirit of God.

We then must understand what it means to run the race even though Paul was in chains. There’s no question that Paul understood these things as he observed the Olympians of his time. They would train their body to achieve, while Paul is helping us to understand what it means to run this race with perseverance.

Paul says that not everyone receives the prize even though they run. So it’s not enough for us just to run or prepare to run or to strengthen our body; we must finish the race that is marked out for us.

Although Paul was in chains, he shared the gospel and sought after a spiritual perfection that did not come through the flesh but through the Spirit of God within him.

How many days did Paul spend in prison? Sometimes we quickly run through this and do not realize that, though his ministry was 14 years, part of his ministry was served in prison. 

He spent over 2,100 days in prison. It was there that he was able to see the gospel go further than it had ever gone in his missionary journeys. It went to Rome and even beyond to the other most parts of the world.

As I conclude this article, it would be imperative for me to give you the opportunity to pray that the Holy Spirit would deepen your walk within. Do you hunger for faith? Do you desire a deeper walk? Do you plan to live out your potential in Christ?

As I conclude this article, spend a minute asking God for his help. He is willing, through the Holy Spirit to help! 

As I close, let me read a key passage  that Paul reminds us:

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. - Philippians 3:14