A larger perspective

I am reading Philippians right now - has long been one of my favorite sections of Scripture, and I am understanding more clearly why. In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul explains why he doesn't complain of the circumstances he's in, in prison, chained between 2 guards - in my human perspective, I think of how restless he must have been -yearning to go out and preach the Gospel, and yet stuck in a dungeon writing letters.
Yet all he talks of is praising God, for through his situation, the Gospel is spreading, and that is all that matters to him.
that is all that matters to him? How much else matters to me that is of no consequence? The Black Friday sales coming up - the new clothes I bought last week in town - the practical aspects of the ministry and how to get different things done - decorating for Christmas - traveling to Amsterdam (or wherever random place I happen to be dreaming of...) - so many things (many good things, in fact) tickle my fancy and distract my focus, and here Paul says, "What then? Only that, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice."

How? By knowing WHO HE IS. Here is how MacArthur puts it: "Paul did not ignore or make light of his imprisonment, but it was INCIDENTAL to his willing, joyous, and immeasurably privileged status as a bondservant of Jesus Christ..." - every situation we find ourselves in is secondary to our status in Jesus' kingdom... EVERY SITUATION IS SECONDARY... WOW

"His ministry and his earthly life were inseparable. His earthly life would not be completed until his ministry was completed, and when his ministry was completed, his earthly life would have no further purpose." Oh the places in our lives that would be transformed if we could let this truth truly penetrate all the nooks and crannies of our complicated "personhood"!

Oh that I would learn to "seek first the Kindgom of God" and experienc the promise "and all these things will be added to you" (Lk 12:31)