When a prisoner is chained to a guard, we would think that person is a dangerous criminal. Likely if it was us, we would be offended and perhaps bitter that such opposition against us has stopped the work of the Lord in which we were engaged. We may consider that a bad situation. However, there are a number of ways to look at such times when persecution and opposition seem to have the upper hand and are winning the battle against the light. The Lord Jesus said there would be such times and we would be blessed because of it [Mat.5:11]. He said it would give opportunity to show the love of God to those who curse, despise and persecute those who are in the service of the Lord [Mat.5:44].
So what could be a bad situation if we allow bitterness to make us wallow in self-pity, can become an opportunity that opens up a whole new area of Gospel activity for the Lord. Paul chose to use his prison time as a time to advance the Gospel throughout the Roman empire. He would not go to all those places, but soldiers who were chained to him for a whole shift, heard the way of salvation and God saved them. They would be sent to the far corners of the empire in their duty as soldiers. They had no way to escape Paul’s witnessing because they were chained to him. As soon as one was off duty, another came on. Though the whole of the empire these men would go as new believers with the essence of new zeal in their hearts and souls. Instead of bitterness, there was boldness in Paul that resulted in blessing in salvation.
How we look at an event or situation depends on our attitude. Are you a pessimist or an optimist? For those who are realists, there will be recognition of the need of unity and comradery among the people of God to advance the Gospel. The meaning of the word “furtherance” is like a person cutting brush through a dense forest to put a road through or to make a field to bring forth a harvest. What may look bad at first glance, may turn into a marvelous, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the furtherance of the Gospel.
