Daily devotion – Joy in strange places
Philippians 1:3 -6
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
The book of Philippians holds a special place in my life. It brought me through one of the lowest points in my Christian journey. Even today, Paul’s words, written from prison, continue to lift me up. One powerful lesson I learned from Paul’s writing is how to shift my focus from myself to others. Even while Paul was awaiting trial, his thoughts were filled with love and gratitude for other believers in Philippi.
Paul’s memories weren’t of his own suffering, though he had suffered terribly in Philippi—viciously beaten, imprisoned, and yet still joyful enough to lead the jailer and his family to Christ. He thought of Lydia and her household, the once-possessed slave girl, and countless other Christians he had encountered there. Each thought filled his heart with joy.
There’s a lesson for all of us here: focusing too much on ourselves often leads to discouragement and trouble. Today, let’s take inspiration from Paul, who, despite being confined to a dark cell, had a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude for others.
Let’s seek God’s help to lift our eyes from ourselves and focus on praying for, remembering, and thanking God for the believers around us. Maybe, with God’s help, we too can become a source of joy to others through our love and encouragement.
Join me in prayer: “Lord, help me to lift my mind from myself and fill it with thoughts of those who love You. Help me remember them with joy and thankfulness. May I, too, bring joy into someone’s life as they have brought joy into mine. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”