Forward in Hope (Philippians 1:19-26)
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As we learned last week, Paul is writing from prison. Yet he says, "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed" (1:20). How does Paul remain hopeful despite his imprisonment and potential execution? And how can we have the same kind of hope no matter the circumstances we face in our lives?
Some "diagnostic questions" to help us think about what we're putting our hope in:
What do I worry about most? Our worries indicate our worship (worship isn't just something "religious" people do).
What is it that, if I were to fail at it or lose it, would cause me to not want to live?
What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about? Where do I fixate my thoughts?
In what do I take the most pride? What is the first thing I want people to know about me?
What prayer, if left unanswered, would make me think about walking away from God?
What do I expect out of life in order to be happy?