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World Wide Christians
Identified by Our Location Continued From pg. 7
thought God had called me to do for the rest of my life. Through all of this, one thing that I’ ve found to be true is that when we are in the valley, our relationship with Christ becomes more real. We have to learn to trust him in the valley because He is all that we have. While he was sitting in prison, the only thing that Paul had was Christ. But as Paul found out, Christ was all that he really needed. No matter the circumstances that we may find ourselves in, Christ is all that we need. We must not be identified by our condition, but by our location in Christ.
Paul knew that some people would love to heap more insult and pain on him and take advantage of his circumstances. He says in verses 15-17,“ 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.” We find that in our own lives as well. People want to kick us when we are down, or we find that bad situations tend to get worse with no end in sight.
Paul has a word of encouragement for us in light of these circumstances, in verses 18-20,“ 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”
Finding a way to rejoice in the valley is hard, but when our focus is on how we can best glorify Christ, it becomes easy because He is our strength.