Joy

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, (Philippians 1:3-4 ESV)

Paul has had the Philippians on his mind. He has thought of them and he has thanked God for them.

He has done this before and now, as he receives their gift from the hands of Epaphroditus, he does so again. He is thankful for their gift and for the evident grace of God in them.

There is a progression that takes place here. He remembers them. In remembering them he is thankful for them--both for God allowing him to minister to them, and also for the reciprocity of their ministry back to him in his time of need. He is thankful because he sees God's hand in all of it. In everything he sees God. And so it is that his thoughts turn naturally to prayer. He prays for them.

". . . always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy."

It is good for us to get our mind off of ourselves and our own concerns and put it on others. It is too easy to be self-absorbed. Let me encourage you to put your thoughts elsewhere today. Think about how God has worked in your life and how he is working right now. Think about the people in your life each day, people whom God has placed in your path, and pray for them. Think about their needs. Think about their spiritual needs. Ask God to bless them. Ask God to give them all the spiritual blessings available to them in Christ Jesus.

This is what Paul did. Can you see him? Sitting in prison, chained to a guard. No liberty. No sunlight. No good food. No good air. Nothing. And yet he has joy.

Isn't that amazing? Paul tells them that in his plight, his imprisonment, his time of persecution and doubt, he has joy. And so can we, no matter what conditions or circumstances we find ourselves in.

So why not try it? Put your mind on others. See them. See God's hand in their lives. Pray for them.

And see if that doesn't change your outlook on things. See if that doesn't help you to recognize that we are not the center of the universe, that, in fact, the center of the universe is God and what he is doing is far more important than anything else. I promise that when you become focused on that, and on what God is doing in the lives of others, and in longing to see him glorified in everyone around you, then you will know something of that joy that Paul talks about when he says, ". . . making my prayer with joy."