Acts 24:27
But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.
Sometimes God uses bad circumstances in life to bring about good results. That statement can be verified and validated throughout all of Scripture. Satan wanted to show God that Job was not a perfect man. God gave Satan permission to hurt Job, but with some parameters. God actually allow the evil band of thieves to swoop down and hurt Job's family and possessions. God used those bad circumstances to teach Job and us a great lesson on how to pursue God in the midst of struggles. God used the unfair treatment of Joseph by his brothers to accomplish great things for His children in Egypt (Genesis 50:20). So, too, in the above passage we see that God is going to use a bad situation and frustrating time for His servant Paul to accomplish a greater purpose someplace else. In the above chapter in Acts we have Paul on trial for false accusations being brought by the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem. These leaders did not want Paul to succeed and even plotted to kill him earlier in the previous chapter. After Paul appeared before on magistrate, Felix, he actually was on the verge of getting set free. Paul had already been in prison over two years for these false chargers. Now, according to the above verse, a new magistrate, Felix is replaced by Porcius Festus. Upon his exit from authority, however, Felix reverses his attitude toward Paul to appease the Jewish leaders and leaves Paul in jail. What would you do? Falsely imprisoned and accused, we might all lash out to God, or others, crying out for our freedom. We might go get a lawyer to defend ourselves. Why was Paul so content? Because Paul knew that God had a bigger plan for his life. A plan bigger than his immediate comfort. Note the following verse:
Acts 23:11
But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
Paul knew that God was taking him to Rome. Paul knew the lessons from Joseph, David, Daniel and others; that God sometimes uses bad circumstances to accomplish greater results. Paul was not afraid of Felix, Festus or any magistrate. He had a Word from the Lord that God was going to use him and, in that use, protect him. Remember, it would be Paul, who in the midst of all this struggle would pen the words in Romans 8:28, "that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose." God doesn't allow anything to happen to us that He doesn't first and foremost want to use for His glory. We must rejoice in that and we must rest in that thought. God is less concerned about our comfort and more concerned about our fulfillment of His mission. If God had our comfort in mind we would be taken to Glory immediately after our new birth. But, God is concerned about HIs mission and our fulfilling our part in that mission ... even if it feels painful at the time.
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