Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones?

Philippians 1:12-13 Now I want you to know and continue to rest assured, brethren, that what [has happened] to me [this imprisonment] has actually only served to advance and give a renewed impetus to the [spreading of the] good news (the Gospel).¹³ So much is this a fact that throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest [here] my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ [that I am a prisoner in His service and for Him].

What does it take for an individual to be more free and at peace in prison than a person walking free outside of the prison? And what does it take to triumphantly declare my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ…? In other words, What caliber of man is able to triumphantly state, Christ put me in this prison?

In 1873 William Ernest Henley confided in a friend: “I am afeard my marching days are over” when asked about the condition of his leg. Who is William Ernest Henley? The man who was afflicted with tuberculosis at the age of 16 and had to have his left leg amputated below the knee owing to complications arising from the disease. He is the man who 5 years later was told a similar procedure would have to be performed on his right leg. Instead of accepting the diagnosis and treatment he traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland in August 1873 enlisting the services of the distinguished English surgeon Joesph Lister. Dr. Lister was able to save Henley’s remaining leg after multiple surgical interventions on the foot. While recovering in the infirmary, he was moved to write the verses that became the poem “Invictus”. You might recognize some of the lines that were written while Henley considered his marching days to be over: It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. Still doesn’t ring a bell? Possibly you have heard of Nelson Mandela who lived 27 years of his life in prison and who utilized this poem to encourage himself and his fellow inmates to not allow circumstances to determine the condition of their soul. Mandela, a survivor of turberculosis himself, also overcame racism, imprisonment, and the temptation to become a bitter and angry man. One author, Sharon Bloom wrote: Mandela persevered as the master of his fate. His lasting gift was his power of forgiveness—a gift we remember in his inimitable smile.

The Apostle Paul, and Nelson Mandela, chose to not allow themselves to become victims of their circumstances. Once we begin to think we are victims of our circumstances, or those we perceived created them, we become enslaved by them. This is referred to as a victim mentality, or victim syndrome. It is defined as, a way of thinking where someone perceive themselves as consistently wronged or powerless, often blaming external factors (or others) for their circumstances and struggling to take responsibility for their actions. Paul saw his prison cell as created by Christ for Christ. He saw his circumstances not as an opportunity to pity himself but to better himself and others. I was pondering how many of the books of the Bible were actually written by those who suffered horrible things usually ending in death (like the Apostle Paul being beheaded). Yet, their writing through suffering became their purpose for existence. Years, if not centuries later, their writings offer hope and life. As Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 4:11-12 For we who live are constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.¹² Thus death is actively at work in us, but [it is in order that our] life [may be actively at work] in you. Your circumstances, good or bad, are not your savior nor are they your enemy. In each one you have a choice to make: Will I become better – more like Jesus – through this or bitter? We all have choices to make and our lives – good or bad – are the sum total of the choices we have made. There are those who seemingly have everything going their way yet their lives are a disaster. Conversely, there are those who live through horrible circumstances and are actually growing through them without a bitter bone in their body. A Jesus-honoring life, is made up of those who have turned stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

John Gardener wrote: Self pity is easily the most destructive of the non-pharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality.

Richard Bach wrote: If it’s never our fault, we can’t take responsibility for it. If we can’t take responsibility for it, we’ll always be its victim.

Erica Jong wrote: You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.