Philippians 1:30 - Don't waste this...

"...having the same agony, such as you saw in me and now are hearing in me."

-paul knew something of suffering, this second gift of grace.  he was no stranger to it.  in fact, it would appear from paul’s new testament letters that suffering and paul were constant companions.

-the word paul uses to describe his experience is actually agon, which gives us the english word, agony.  it describes laboring and struggling and striving, especially in the face of some significant obstacle or opposition (luke 22.44, 1corinthians 9.25, colossians 1.29, colossians 2.1, colossians 4.12, 1thessalonians 2.2, 1timothy 4.10, 1timothy 6.12, hebrews 12.1).  it is a race.  it is a wrestling match.  it is a fight, and in many ways the battle ground is internal.  there is a wrestling match in our hearts and wills as we are faced with the prospect of following hard after the One Whose own path led to the Cross (luke 9.23), Who Himself was betrayed and abandoned by His friends and rejected and beaten and killed by those who opposed Him.  there is an internal battle to be waged and won in order to hold onto joy not only in the face of opposition but also in the midst of a broken and dying world.

-paul mentions that the philippians had seen paul experiencing agony, or conflict.  we read about this in acts 16.19-24, where paul and silas while in philippi were beaten and thrown in prison without a trial.  but we see their Gospel-worthy conduct in acts 16.25-32.  in the midst of extreme adversity and suffering, paul and silas stood firmly together and chose the path of gratitude and trust.  they were filled with joy as a result.  not only were they focused on the Lord, but they were also able to focus on others, on their felt needs as well as on their need for the Good News.

-and as paul was now again in chains for the sake and cause of Christ, these believers in philippi had heard about and had responded to help and encourage paul, as we will read in chapter 4.

-but the greater point in this verse is that these philippian believers were having the same agon that paul was having.  no doubt it was one thing for them to see someone else having agon, but it was another thing altogether to actually have the barrel of opposition turned on them.  now they were having the opportunity to live into hardship in ways that showed off the breathtaking goodness of God.  they were being given the chance to choose the path of joy and faithfulness and obedience no matter what they were going through, and even if it meant giving up their lives.  theirs was the chance to boldly live for Christ in unity and exalt Him in their bodies, to pour out all they had in laboring fruitfully in His cause, to struggle mightily together for the progress of the Good News in their own lives and among the nations.

-this same opportunity is handed down to us today.  each and every day is a new gift, a chance to live for Christ, to live a life that is actually worthy of such a sacrifice, such a cause.  ours is the same admonition which tom hanks delivered to private ryan:  dont waste this.  don’t squander the gracious opportunities that God gives you to hold onto and show off glimpses of His breathtaking goodness to a broken world.  don’t get bogged down in grumbling and complaining and navel-gazing and pining for greener pastures.  give the world the chance to see that you are convinced that God is really good, that the Gospel really is Good News, that there is hope and joy and caring community even in the midst of hardship and brokenness.  Don’t.  Waste.  This.