Prison Stars

"I can't believe this. Is my life unravelling"?! "Why does this always happen to me"?! "Is everyone in my family insane... I just don't understand"?! "Is this all my fault"?! Some say that the three most important questions in life are, where do we come from, what is the meaning of life and what happens when we die. These probably are the most important questions because they form the way we think and approach life. These, however, are not the questions that we are asking. The ones stated earlier follow the track of most of our minds. It is the worries of everyday life that impinge our everyday life.
The apostle Paul stated, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10. This is coming from a man who, as he stated previous,

"Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches." 2 Corinthians 11:24-28

That does not sound like a fun time to me! One may wonder how one person could preserver through a live filled with so much physical pain and emotion strain. Bill Hybels in his book Who You Are When No One’s Looking, he tells the story of two prisoners. Both are contained in the same small cell, with the same small window about three feet above eye level.

"Both Prisoners spent a great deal of time looking at the window, of course. One of them saw the bars-obvious, ugly, metallic reminders of reality. From day to day he grew increasingly discouraged, bitter, angry and hopeless. By contrast, the other prisoner looked through the window to the stars beyond. Hope welled up in that prisoner as he began to think of the possibility of starting a new life in freedom". (p35)

For one of the prisoners hope seemed like a pipe dream; the other was able to look past the bars and ‘saw stars’. I believe this is how Paul viewed life. He did not let the situations around him overcome but was able to peer past to see the light. Paul aligned his focus with God’s and counted his trials as gain. When the bars of the prison, the shattered wood of the ship wreck, the scars and broken bones, to see what Christ was doing in his life.
When we look at the leaders of the Bible Moses stands out. Continually when trials came his way and the people of Israel rebelled instead calling it quits, and roaming off into the desert like the littlest hobo, he sought the face of God. Time after time Moses entered the tent of meeting to meet with God face to face, not only to deal with the frustrations of leading a stiff necked people, but to continually remain in a close relationship with God.
That is what defines a situation. It is the relationship of trust that keeps a man true. Habakkuk, Jonah, Abraham, David, Job... the list goes on. These are people who when trials came sought God.
There was one time when Moses slipped into carnal thinking. Numbers 20 tells the story of Moses striking the rock with his staff that ultimately leads to his restriction from the promise land. The first verse of this Chapter states something very interesting. “Miriam died and was buried”. Immediately following this piece of information the people begin to lose focus and start complaining. Moses seeks the face of God but when it came time to react he let his emotions take control.
Even the best of us fail. We all go through hard times. The cliché answer is just pray. Unfortunately, that is not what we want to hear. We want answers. We want a solution. The best response is seeking the face of the most high. It does not mean that problems will be fixed, although they may. The Apostle Paul’s scars never went away. Paul’s bones were never restored. Yet he found peace in his creator when he sought his face. I leave you with a message from James. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12