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Silver Linings Playbook
Jeff WeinkaufActs 26:1
Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
Circumstances can often dictate our outlook cant they?
It’s easy when things look “bad” to get knocked off target. To let how I feel about what I’m walking though, persuade me away from recognizing the end goal.
Simply put, we can let our present pain overshadow the promise of our future.
In the case of Paul, he’s found himself in chains and without resolution for his situation. He’s waiting to go to Rome to appear before Cesar regarding slanderous charges. It would seem that everything is up in the air. An unsettling time for sure.
Still, in the midst of all of this personal pain and uncertainty, God is working. He provides an amazing opportunity in the form of a chance to share the Gospel with an influential king, his wife and even a governor. On top of that, he’s invited to speak freely. This is huge! It’s hard to understand the significance of this today since we regularly speak our minds with out restriction. The truth is though, that if you were to have any kind of communication with a king you had to be invited to do so. Further, if you misspoke or angered the King it was well with in his prevue to have you removed or even killed. So it’s a rare and unique opportunity Paul has to speak his mind to king Agrippa.
Paul seems unfazed by his “personal” chains and is able to function with the greater goal in mind – the gospel shared.
The application for me is to keep focus on the goal even when my present situation is difficult. I want to be like Paul, so single minded about the good news that I am able to look past the uncertainty of now and onto the greater goal.
Jesus, I’m still struggling with selfishness after all of these years. I can easily get distracted by frustrations and can miss the opportunity in front of me. Please help me to choose cause over comfort so that I may be found faithful. Amen
