Do Not WorrySample

Affliction Diminishes or Enlarges You 

When a child learns to walk, he or she falls several times but gets up again until he or she succeeds. The child does not have a false identity. In contrast, when we grow up and fall, we usually stay on the floor. 

The apostle Paul showed a good attitude in the face of adversity. He was in prison, not for committing a crime, but for obeying his divine calling. He wrote a letter to the Philippians where he says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” In the midst of whatever situation you are going through, you can understand that we do not depend on circumstances but on a Spirit that has been given to us. We should be able to say, “In the midst of my condition, I rejoice in the Lord.” 

Paul was talking about his experiences in life. His secret is in Philippians 4:11–13. He says that he may be going through a difficult situation or be in abundance, but he remains the same. People often change through the extremes they live in. One extreme is positive, which is living in abundance. The other extreme is when we lack or are in need. However, both extremes reveal who we are through our reactions. Paul says, “In Christ, I remain the same.” Nothing changes us, because we can do everything in Christ who is the reason of our strength. 

Paul proves to be a true apostle by demonstrating his resilience through his letters. He never presented his accomplishments, instead presented the facts. Through every hardship he experienced, he remained true to his calling. This is the greatest evidence of someone who possesses the life of the true God: that regardless of adversity, he or she continues to serve Him. Actions speak louder than words. 

Paul said that he cared for and burdened for the church. It was the suffering of others that weighed him down, not his own condition. This process in his life not only produced in him knowledge of the God of all comfort but transformed him into an instrument of consolation for others. What he suffered made sense, because now he understood that his suffering and what had happened in his life was God’s preparation to enable him to comfort others.