Philippians 1:20 (NLT) For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.

Expectations! Without question, we all have them. We expect people to be nice to us. We expect to have successful careers, good friendships, and marriages that are filled with love and laughter. We expect to have good health and the same waist size for most of our lives with very little effort on our part to keep it that way! However, what do we do when life doesn’t live up to our expectations? In Philippians 1, Paul shows us how to handle this problem. He faced shattered expectations in people, the church, and his future, yet he remained surprisingly positive.

Paul was stuck in prison – not the easiest place to write a letter of encouragement! When we get stuck in a tough situation, a challenging marriage, or receive news that is hard to hear, it’s easy to get discouraged. Yet Paul was amazingly positive. He realized that his suffering helped to advance the gospel. Philippians 1:12 (NLT) 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.

Maybe life hasn’t lived up to our expectations; maybe some in our lives have been huge disappointments. Most likely, Paul expected others to encourage him. Instead, some were actually happy that he was in jail because they were jealous. So how did Paul respond to their “jealousy and rivalry”? Philippians 1:18 (NLT) But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.

Maybe your financial future seems to be a little uncertain right now. Maybe your job is questionable, your health is in crisis, your kids are not living right, or your marriage is a battlefield.

Paul knew that at any moment Nero could give the order for him to be executed, yet he makes one of the boldest statements in the Bible during this time of his life! Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I wonder if we could adopt Paul’s outlook on life. In life or in death, what matters is for Jesus Christ to be glorified!