Remember My Chains: In the Field with Apostle Paul

Have you ever wondered why God allows suffering? Have you ever asked why a loving God would allow you to live as if chained to a hardship on purpose while others go free? I admit I have asked my share of those questions. My questions led me to spend some time in the field with Apostle Paul and explore our Key Verse: “I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be unto you.” Colossians 4:18 (ESV). Join me in the field with Apostle Paul as we Remember His Chains.

The enemy loves to see us struggle with things we go through in this life. He delights in convincing us that we can’t serve God because of hardships and that God doesn’t care about us. I am so thankful for the examples God gives us through His holy word that shares light on these lies of the enemy. God writes another story, whether we are restrained by hardships or free.

I cried when I read the words about Apostle Paul. The words that told me the history of his imprisonment. He was falsely accused and left bound. Traveling from here to there to get his case heard.

A prison cell exchanged for his own rented house sounded like a pretty good setup when I first read about it in God’s word. But, after further study, I learned he was left bound just the same.

Paul had a guard kept close to him daily by being shackled to Paul’s wrist by a chain. Yes, free to have friends visit yet free to be a prisoner. This was undoubtedly an attempt by the enemy to keep Paul restrained from spreading the gospel both by the spoken and written word.

The enemy no doubt thought he would defeat Paul in prison that he would give up on the whole spreading of the gospel thing.

Yet, the prison did not affect Paul. The chain had no power over him either. No doubt, the enemy hated that the chain that bound him every waking day could not change Paul’s mind about his Jesus most of all. Nevertheless, Paul successfully spread the gospel despite it. While he couldn’t leave to preach the gospel, people came to him, and news of Jesus spread like wildfire.

Perhaps that chain was a constant reminder to Paul that God had the power to release him and yet chose to leave him bound. Maybe the thorn in the flesh Paul asked God to remove was perhaps left on purpose to prepare him for this chain. Just a thought…

God allows similar things in our own lives. He could speak the word and bring relief instantly to every adverse circumstance we face but so often leaves us bound to walk through them instead.

But despite all the enemy threw at Paul, he never could steal his joy while he held him in confinement, nor did Paul surrender his contentment and peace.

His faith never once waivered, and he never ceased from his work for the Lord. Despite his circumstances, he dictated letters to encourage the early church and never failed to show hospitality to those who came to visit. Yes, he kept sharing his message against incredible odds.

He lifted the name of His Jesus no matter the price it cost him. Bound or free. Paul didn’t back down or bow out. Salvation gave him a made-up mind, and there was no going back to be the man he had been before.

After several years, Paul was released to be later imprisoned again. But whether bound or free, Paul was the same. Steadfast and resilient unto the end. He determined to spread the news of Jesus to as many people as he could. Both Jews and Gentiles.

No, the chain had no power over our brother Paul.

God uses the life of Paul to teach us that chains won’t have any power over us either.

Let Paul’s words from Romans 8:38-39 be our life verse. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And neither will that thing the enemy tries so forcefully to use against you.

We can walk in faith despite whatever chain attempts to bind us today because we are free in Jesus.

Paul had others, including some of his guards, who helped write his prison letters because his writing hand was chained.  In his closing statement in Colossians 4:18 (ESV), Paul ended his letter this way, “I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be unto you.”

Just imagine. Paul was writing these very words despite his hand being chained. Yet, Paul never stopped getting the Lord’s message out that God had laid on his heart. So, no, the enemy’s chain was useless against him.

After all, should we ever doubt when The Lord tells us that “no weapon formed against us shall prosper?”

What a testimony! Yes, I will remember your chains,  Apostle Paul. Remembering will encourage me that despite whatever “chains” the enemy tries to bind me with, I can keep sharing God’s message, both bound or free. I can also stay in my field of obedience despite whatever situation I find myself in today.

See you in the field,

Susan