The Fortune of Misfortune By A. J. Cox Thomas Edison experimented with thousands of different filaments to find just the right materials that would glow well enough and last long enough for his light bulb. Concerning his thousands of “failed” attempts at achieving his goal, Edison was quoted as saying, “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” The famed inventor had a “glass is half full” mentality! Where others saw failure, he saw progress and opportunity. The temptation is great to focus exclusively on the negative aspects of the obstacles in our lives. Christians, however, should learn to recognize the opportunities inherent in very trial. To illustrate, consider what Paul wrote in Philippians 1:12-14. “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; [13] So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; [14] And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Some, no doubt, would have viewed Pauls prolonged imprisonment as a hindrance to the gospel and to his ministry. The apostle, however, points out that the things that had happened to him had actually furthered the spread of the gospel! Paul’s bonds in Christ became known throughout the ranks of the Praetorian Guard and to many others in Rome. Because of his “misfortune” people heard the gospel who otherwise may not have heard it. While Paul himself was bound, truly the word of God was not bound (2 Tim. 2:9). Not only this, but his example emboldened many other Christians to speak the word without fear. As Christians we must condition ourselves to look for opportunity where others see only negativity. Your illness, grief, family predicament, and such like may put you in a position to share Christ’s message of hope with those who have not heard it. And the manner in which you endure your trials can set a powerful example for others to follow. May God help us to see the fortune in our misfortune. - A. J. Cox, Cloverdale, IN; via BELVEDERE BEACON, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere church of Christ, Belvedere, SC. Ken Chumbley serves as minister, and may be contacted at [email protected]
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 12:07:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015