Confidence

Philippians 1: ⁶ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

When I stop and think about how God has allowed me to walk with Him through this life, I am blown away by the multitude of blessings that He has poured out.

Have there been trials? Sure. Has there been sickness? You bet. Have I had times of struggle and hurt and loss and sorrow? Absolutely.

But when I lay these out against the privilege of having the God of the universe as my Father, these memories are overpowered by the reality of His sustaining grace, His love, His mercy, and the pleasure of His presence.

I believe that Paul got carried away remembering his realities in the sixth chapter of 2 Corinthians. As he was encouraging the Corinthian believers to work with God and to give no offense as they served God, he recounted how God’s servants live in His grace. Beginning in verse four, he listed the ‘all things’ that that marked his ministry. I can almost hear his voice rising as he thrills while recounting his miraculous journey with God.

• In much patience

• In tribulations

• In needs

• In distresses

• In beatings

• In imprisonments

• In upsets

• In labors

• In sleeplessness

• In fastings

• By purity

• By knowledge

• By longsuffering by kindness

• He is getting excited. I can hear him getting louder as he proclaims …

• By the Holy Spirit

• By sincere love

• By the word of truth

• By the power of God

• By the armor of righteousness on the right hand and left

• By honor and dishonor

• By evil report and good report

• As deceivers, and yet true

• As unknown, and yet well known

• As dying, and behold we live

• As chastened, and yet not killed

• As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing

• As poor, yet making many rich

• As having nothing, and yet possessing all things

accomplish His purpose and His will. Paul experienced this, and he wanted believers everywhere to share this experience. He wasn’t moaning about his trials; he was rejoicing in God’s great provision.

I have not lived through everything that Apostle Paul did, but the things on Paul’s list resonate in my spirit.

Through good times, hard times, joyful times, sad times God has kept me, and He has grown me. I get excited with Paul as I remember, and I rejoice with a thankful heart at the mighty God I serve.

Are you in the middle of struggle today? Is it hard to see past the right now to offer thanks to God? If you know Christ, perhaps today is a good day to remember His word of truth, His power, and the armor of righteousness He has provided for you – a good day to remember that He will complete His work in you.

If you don’t know Him, today is a great day to trust Him. He is the Savior, and He can redeem all that lies behind and all that is still before you.  

I know because He did it for me.