Paul makes his prayer with joy! What a great phrase. We have joy. We have a Spirit of joy, but we also have reason for joy. Paul is rejoicing in having partners in the gospel. He’s rejoicing because of God’s good work He started and will surely complete in their lives.

Who are you taking joy in because of Christ’s work in them?

If there is no one, maybe be praying about who needs to hear the gospel or whom you could be discipling. Ask the Lord to bring you both kinds of people. Offer your life to serve God by loving others and you’ll get a front-row seat to watching Him work and transform lives.

Paul prays for these people for whom he’s taking joy in watching God at work in their lives. He prays that their love would abound more and more. Please be praying that for yourself and for your church and family.

He prays for something in particular about this love, that it would be accompanied with knowledge and discernment.

We want to be pure and excellent in the way we love, not reckless, but purposeful and in complete self-control.

Paul points out that God had taken what the enemy meant for evil and turned it for good. He knows that God used his imprisonment to carry the gospel further. He’s not moping in jail. He’s rejoicing and sharing the gospel, and God has used it to stir up boldness in other believers.

Paul knows that there are those preaching out of selfish ambition. He finds the place of thanksgiving, that Christ is being proclaimed. And he makes the choice to rejoice. He says, “I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” We can make the choice to rejoice. There are reasons for rejoicing.

All things can be a reason to rejoice when you have a great God. Paul says how it will be far greater to die and be with Christ. The worst, death, is a good thing in Christ. There is reason for rejoicing.

Can you say with Paul, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain?”