Philippians: 14 Days of Hope and EncouragementSample

Personal agendas destroy ministries and quickly turn beautiful expressions of grace into something ugly. Something hurtful and destructive.

Years ago, God began to alert me to the hurt and loneliness in the women around me. I sensed Him calling me to take action, and so, after much prayer, some ladies and I linked arms to share God's love and help women experience meaningful connections. We regularly saw God move, consistently breaking through decades of hurt, anchoring hearts deeply in truth, and transformed lives with the power of His grace.

Soon, however, a spirit of competition, pride, and selfishness began to infect our team, souring our joy while leading to increased distrust among us.

Have you encountered this? Have you ever been that person?

The apostle Paul understood this. He’d encountered many who selfishly “served” Christ, out of jealousy, greed, or, based on Philippians 1, spite. But not Timothy and Epaphoditus. These men were driven by love, had proven themselves faithful, and therefore, had earned Paul’s trust. More than that, they played a vital role in life change. In fact, I’m certain, once they passed on from earth and entered into heaven, God allowed them to see all the lives they’d changed, for eternity, because each day, they humbly set themselves aside to join a mission greater and more enduring than anything they could imagine on their own.

~Jennifer Slattery

Author, Speaker, Host of the Faith Over Fear and Your Daily Bible Verse podcasts