Beyond Our Circumstances
Over these last three years—perhaps like you—I have often found myself thinking about the cultural implications, circumstances, and unintended consequences we have experienced on our journey through pandemic life. How easy it is, at least for me, given all that has happened around us, to occasionally allow “lesser things” to invade the spaces of my conscious thought in such a way as to nearly overwhelm or cloud my awareness of “greater things.” What I mean here is that even as a follower of Jesus, intent on fixing my gaze on him and committed to being his apprentice, I can often get overwhelmed, distracted, and even lost in the noise of the culture around me—and can we agree here that the noise of our pandemic-weary and highly polarized culture is at times deafening?
The words “culture eats strategy for breakfast” from Peter Drucker highlight some of the consequences of our noisy and oppositional culture, namely that the nature of circumstances and the noise of culture competes for our focus. Despite our intentions, it is not an “automatic given” for us to stay intimately aligned with Jesus and passionately engaged in advancing the work of our Kingdom assignments.
Is loving Jesus enough?
Is signing on to advancing his Kingdom as his apprentices enough?
How do we keep the main thing the main thing and what do we do when we lose our way?
I would like to keep these questions before us as we consider a scripture where the main thing not only stayed the main thing, but actually advanced even in the face of unusual odds and circumstances.
Here is some context:
Paul is in prison facing the possibility of execution; the unintended, negative consequence of his prior ministry. But amidst this, he sees and testifies to something altogether greater than his circumstances:
“And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.” –Phil 1:12–14
Please read this aloud to yourself several times before considering these reflection questions:
What strikes you about Paul’s perspective or reaction to the negative aspects of his circumstances?
How important do you think Paul’s perspective is in his being able to recognize the spread of the good news despite his circumstances?
How would you characterize your typical, natural reaction to “unintended negative consequences”? What is the impact of this reaction to your desired focus?
What is the invitation of Jesus to you?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In addition to serving on the Novo Lead Team focusing on Resource Development, integration and various special projects, Chris Somogyi is Mom to two grown kids, Nona to grandson Hugo, and Dog Mom to two lovable Golden Retrievers, Gus and Gabe. She lives in SoCal where she loves hosting Novo staff who don’t mind puppy kisses or dog hair.
