Title: Technology to create happiness
Contents
Acts of the Apostles (135) The art of creating happiness (Acts 28:11-15)
"Paul Arrives in Rome"
After spending three months on the island of Melide, Paul and his companions left for Rome (verse 11). And through Suragusa, Legion, and Bodiol, they finally reached Rome (verses 12-13). Upon arriving in Rome, the Roman saints warmly welcomed Paul, who had come as a prisoner (verse 15). Paul would have been a great revivalist and wanted to enter Rome in a welcome, but he did go into Rome as a prisoner. Why did God have to go to Rome in the form of a prisoner rather than a flashy figure?
First, you would have to consider travel expenses as well. The Apostle Paul made tents, sold them, and did missionary work. In such a situation, it is not easy to pay for the boat and travel expenses to Rome. But when I was arrested, I was able to go to Rome without any travel expenses.
Second, you would have considered safety issues as well. At that time, many people tried to kill Paul. Under such circumstances, Paul's life would be in danger if he went on the long journey to Rome alone. But when I was taken away as a prisoner, I was able to go safely with the guards.
Third, it would have considered the issue of preaching the gospel above all else. The reason the later believers came from the Roman emperor's house was that Paul came to Rome as a prisoner. Had he come to Rome as a civilian, he would not have been able to approach the emperor.
During the evacuation, Paul encounters a storm in Euraquil by the providence of God. The centurion who escorted Paul at that time witnessed Paul's amazing spirituality, power, and leadership. The centurion, who saw the scene vividly, must have arrived in Rome and told the emperor's demonstrators. “He is no ordinary man! You have mystical powers!” Then, when he told the story of the past, the awe of Paul spread around the protesters, and eventually many people around the demonstrators accepted the gospel (Phil 1:13), and some of the emperor's family believed in Jesus (Phil. 4:22).
< Technology to create happiness >
In the end, Paul was able to lay the foundation for Roman evangelization and world evangelization by being a prisoner. How amazing is God's providence? God sometimes allows suffering, but through suffering he accomplishes wonderful things beyond imagination. There is no coincidence. All situations are inevitable under the sovereignty of God. Even in our pain, unhappiness, accidental accidents, and desperate circumstances, God's amazing hand that goes beyond our thoughts is unfolding.
Those who live by faith have certain unique aspects and characteristics of life. It is to turn crisis into opportunity. Even the saints come in crisis. But, most importantly, they turned the crisis into an opportunity. For saints, every environment is an opportunity. For those who live by faith, even sickness, child derailment, business shake-up, heartache and conflict, that is an opportunity.
Do not retreat during hardship. Think of ‘what happened to me’ and ‘my soul’ separately. Sometimes when your business goes down, don't think that your business is ruined and your life is ruined. Sometimes, when your children drop out of college, your life is ruined and your family is ruined. It's not like that. If you can't go to this college, you can go to that college, and if you can't go today, you can go tomorrow. If you risk your ‘existence and life’ on ‘what happened to me’, you will always have a poor life, but if you encourage yourself through ‘what happened to you’, God will surely bless you.
Happiness and unhappiness depend on “how well do you manage crises and turn them into opportunities?” God made the worst crisis into an opportunity. He created heaven and earth when darkness was at its deepest, and made the crisis of the cross an opportunity for salvation. By turning the worst crisis into an opportunity, when there are hardships, think, “How can I show my faith in these difficulties?” Don't become more miserable when you think poorly, but make it an opportunity for progress in your life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Turning negative into positive is the art of creating happiness.