Confidence and Affection

³I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. – Philippians 1:3-7

We return to Philippians 1 today and note that Paul’s attitude of gratitude is spilling over into his prayer life. He prays for his friends joyfully, regularly, and confidently. Every time he thinks of them, he prays for them. Now that is a good pattern. How many times in a day do you think of people? What would it take for you to lift up a simple prayer on their behalf with a joyful and confident heart? 

Many of us have control issues. We are most confident when we call all the shots. But do you have confidence in God for His ability to “get the job done” in the lives of your fellow believers? – even in your own absence when you can do nothing or little to promote their growth? That is a liberating attitude: believing that God cares more about people than we do and that He is able and willing and to accomplish His ends. 

Now God is patient and persistent and He has all the time He needs to work out His purposes in peoples’ lives. Don’t kid yourself with false urgency. God is on schedule. 

The people we think of as our people are really God’s people. It does not cause us to love them less, but more. In fact, Paul affirms that it is right for him to be so affectionate toward and confident in the believers at

Philippi

. It is right because they have taken a place in his heart and nothing can alter that reality. 

How do people get in your heart? It wasn’t that there was a “love-at-first-sight” experience or good chemistry, or even common interests, tastes or laughs that bonded these folks. No doubt they all shared meals, funny stories, and long talks into the wee hours of the morning. But the bond was deeper and continues to be so among people of God. 

It is the bond of a shared life, mission, purpose, and grace. The Philippians had shared in Paul’s bonds. They, though separated by the miles, were prayerfully identified with his hardships. That had shared in his defense of the gospel and labor of love. They had been “joined at the hip” in the work to which God had called each of them. 

Do you deeply long for this kind of fellowship and camaraderie? It is available. In God’s church, all servant/saints drink from the same fountain of grace as we spend and are spent for the sake of the gospel mission. If you want real fellowship where you live in the hearts of your fellow believers and they live in yours, get involved in ministry and mission. Loving fellowship is a four-letter word spelled: W-O-R-K. As we work together, our love, affection, and mutual respect grow. It’s part of God’s hope connection for our lives.