5 temptations of bad circumstances

Philippians 1:12-14
Finances.  Relationships.  Emotional struggles.  Doubt.  Being chased by a R.O.U.S.   We all find ourselves in bad circumstances.  Paul was having just such an experience when he wrote the letter to the Phillipians encouraging them as they were enduring hardships of their own.  As you read his letter you can begin to identify several poor responses to difficult situations that the Philippians may have been working through.  They hold true today.  

1.  Complain about the situation to every person who will listen.  Nobody likes a pessimist.  We tolerate it for as long as you are talking about something we don’t like (like the church down the street), but when you begin to complain about more personal things we glaze over like a Krispy Kreme donut.  Paul was locked up.  OK, it wasn’t exactly “punch the toughest guy you see in the face to show your tough or don’t drop the soap” prison, but it was bad.  Yet through the book of Philippians he says rejoice so much you would think he was happier than the prisoners in Shawshank Redemption when they were drinking beer on the roof. 

2.  Spend all your time focusing on your needs.  It makes sense.  You have a lot of needs.  I spend a lot more emotional energy on my fantasy football team when they are losing then when they are winning.  Don’t even ask me to do something for you if Westbook is out this week.  Paul is counter-intuitive with his advice: regard one another as more important than yourselves.  Of course we know that verse, but ask yourself, “Who do you spend more time dwelling on?  Yourself or others?  That’s who is more important to you.

3.  Do whatever it takes to eliminate community from your life.  Sometimes we do this b/c it’s just hard for us to be open and honest about how hard life is.  Pretending is pretty exhausting and it’s just easier to avoid people.  Other times we avoid community b/c we are liable to punch someone in the Adam’s apple if they come in talking about how great their day was.  Either way, we miss out on Paul’s admonition to be of one spirit as we struggle in our faith/life (2:2).  Tackling big problems with little support is just stupid…ask this guy.

4.  Spend all your emotional energy thinking about something you can’t change and completely ignore all the good going on around you.  If there is anything worthy of praise, and there always is, think about that.  Just the other day a friend of mine was sharing a really tough situation she was in.  My advice, “It’s too nice of a day to be depressed”.  Ok, that wasn’t all my advice (That would really cut down the number of people asking my thoughts on stuff!), but I seriously meant it.  God is doing some amazing things around all of us (and with us), but for some reason the human condition is to focus in on the one difficult thing.

5.  Sing “Gimme More” by Britney Spears.  One of my favorite parts of Philippians is when Paul goes on and on about how he has learned to be content in all circumstances.  In abundance or in need he is all good. 

Paul’s approach to his circumstances led to the encouragement of his Christian brothers everywhere, and to a powerful testimony among the palace guard that brought many in Caesar’s household to follow Christ (4:22).