St. Paul regularly had “problems” to say the least! Yet, God was in all of them — and God is in your problems as well. Take a look at his opening words in his letter to the Philippians — which was written while Paul was imprisoned in the “praetorium” of Herod the Great in Caesarea (see Acts 23:35) around 60 AD.

(1:7) … for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

(1:12) I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

As Paul writes we ought to see these truths and take encouragement that:
• God is in the midst of the problem
• God is up to something in your problem
• God is up to something good

Read on to see more of God’s purposeful presence…
• God makes prayer more precious and powerful in the midst of trouble (see Phil. 1:4-11)
• God makes you an encouragement to other believers (see Phil. 1:14)
• God brings comfort and joy to those who seek Him even in the time of trouble (see Paul ‘rejoice’ at Phil. 1:4, 18 — and throughout this letter)

When troubles come, rather than raise the old question (“why me?”), remind yourself that God is right there with you — and aims to use it for your good and His glory.
-pdb