Setbacks are part of life, but in this we experience Romans 8:28. Setbacks are a setup to advance the Gospel, we can see God at work. Focus on what God is doing not on what we think he should be doing.
- beware of shallow teaching of a pain free life
"All things for good" is like ingredients of a cake, individual ingredients aren't good but together it's wonderful. When we come together in fellowship we can help others bring "ingredients" together as well help things "stir" and "fully bake"
Paul's life was full of setbacks, yet he wrote, taught, and lived a life of power.
Philippians 1:12-14
Setbacks like false imprisonment, can actually serve to further advance the Gospel and encourage others. Philippians is not a letter about "how to survive in prison" - he didn't "write his Congress person"
He didn't focus on prison but rather community of prayer and God's provision of the Spirit.
"for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
Philippians 1:19 NIV
Some suffering is corrective Proverbs 3, Hebrews 12
- 1 Peter 1:6-7, suffering is a test to see what our faith is made of. Like a teabag, you don't know what's in it until it's put in hot water.
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