The apostle Paul is one person who in his career probably had more trials than anyone. In his evangelistic work he was constantly opposed. He was thrown into prison, stoned and shipwrecked. While he was fully aware of the eternal benefits of being a Christian, his life here on earth was constantly disrupted with hardships and trials. He writes, “Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness...” (2 Corinthians 11:25-27).

This is certainly far more than any of us will have to endure.

Paul could have felt sorry for himself. He could have complained. He could have spent hours and hours reliving his past, including his pre-Christian days when he was guilty of persecuting those whom he would ultimately embrace and serve. He could have commiserated with those close to him and enthralled them with his “war stories.”

But Paul didn’t wallow in self-pity. Rather he bravely said this with this admonition: "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind" (Philippines 3:12-16, emphasis added). The entire book of Philippians is a forward, not backward, message of optimism and hope for all Christians of all time.

When we were committed to becoming a Christian, we knew that we would occasionally take on and have to manage a “cross,” which can be setbacks, disappointments and trials. That is part of the contract we made with God. To those who were eager to become Christ’s followers, Jesus emphatically stated, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

We can spend endless hours recounting the wrongs of others. However, we must not come to the point where the power and beauty of Christ’s calling and the joy of the Holy Spirit working in us is corroded. That could bring about our destruction and sink us into anger and sarcasm, as does happen with some.

Feeling sorry for ourselves keeps us from being productive and encouraging to others. If those coming to discover the same joys of salvation as see a tarnished spirit, why would they have reason to join with us in fellowship?

In several places in the book of Acts Christianity is described as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 18:25-26; 19:9, 23 etc.). It is a way of life; a way of thinking. Our Christian journey consists of good mental and spiritual habits that bring well-being, success and health. Conversely, bad habits will drag you down, and we can’t afford them!

Let’s move on. Christ is fully aware of all that’s going on in our lives, in our fellowship and in the world at large. He has it all in control. He wants you to have faith in Him to fulfill the promises that’s he’s made to us and to His Church.