Imprisoned - Jewell Utt
I was in jail.
Not for a crime, but to visit a former student. He seemed young for this situation, but his face revealed a harder life than most. We were in rooms separated by glass; at desks with a phone and partition on each side. I did not feel safe. An officer stood guard on his side, but on my side were only visitors. They looked as dangerous as the men in prison.
Unnerved, I had to focus hard on the young man to gain my composure. As I looked in his eyes and listened to his story, I wondered how he could stay so calm. He explained that he doesn’t count his days in, he counts his days to get out. He accepted his punishment and knew at the end, he’d reunite with his family.
Looking ahead to better times gave him the strength to live without giving into despair.
His attitude amazed me as I thought about the hope we have as “Believers.” Yet some live in a self-imposed prison. They see their woes more clearly than their reward. Christ already paid our debt for wrongdoing. As a result, He granted us freedom and peace–His peace. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.” (HCSB) John 14:27
When our focus rests on difficult circumstances, we’ve haven’t fully tapped into His gift.
The Apostle Paul lived a challenging life after conversion. He endured beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonments, and persecution from Jews, Gentiles, the government, friends and foe. Satan afflicted him with a constant “thorn in the flesh,” but he knew God allowed it. So he remained focused on his mission and never fell into hopelessness.
His Spirit of trust and perseverance allowed him to pen 13 NT books from Romans to Philemon; four were written while in prison! His legacy of hope and faith continue to teach us today.
As March and 2016 race on, I pray we can grasp the lessons of Paul. Content in all circumstances, Paul understood through his weakness, the manifest power of God was displayed. In kind, our afflictions keep us dependant on God.
But that WE could see things as clearly as Paul. The man whom God blinded for his own good; and ours.
