For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!  
Acts 28:30-31

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 
Philippians 1:12-14

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If you or someone you know has experienced abuse of any kind, then you know the storm that follows: guilt, shame, fear, and a life hurdle that you didn’t expect and have no idea how to get over. When it happened to me at a really young age, it felt like trying to put broken pieces back together knowing they could never look right again.

In the years that followed, I had no choice but to trust in God, and though it took decades, it turns out that when you put something back together again, it can actually be more beautiful than before it was broken. Think “kintsugi”—the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery then dusting the newly lacquered fissures with gold. And even better than being more beautiful in its own way, it’s stronger than it was before. Though I don’t often feel beautiful, I’m grateful for more reliance on my faith and strength through Christ.

Instead of Paul’s chains discrediting him or Jesus, Philippians tells us that it was because of his imprisonment that people believed and in turn, shared the Good News of Jesus. I believe it was Paul’s faith, his love for Jesus, and fervor to share the life-giving news of the Gospel along with his imprisonment that were convincing—if he’d been down in his suffering, I don’t know that people would’ve received the Gospel message with the same confidence.

If you’ve experienced betrayal, injustice, or circumstantial brokenness, I believe God can use it to make the situation—and us—even better. If we allow it, I believe it can make us more attuned to the suffering of others—more compassionate, more resilient, and more grateful. And with that, we can become more passionate about sharing the love of Jesus that got us to a beautifully repaired state. If we’re like Paul, and don’t let the chains quiet the truth of the Gospel in us, I believe we can share it more powerfully, especially with others experiencing similar chains.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” – Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

Next Steps

If you’re in chains now – whether financial, relational, with health, or work, I encourage you to hold fast, trust God, and lean on your community. I can’t listen to the song Trust in God enough—it has been so encouraging to me this summer.

If you’re being put back together, I encourage you to embrace the beauty in your brokenness and be generous with compassion—as a sharer of the Gospel there is power in your story and even more in your empathy for others. I’ve been listening to the book Relaxed by Megan Marshman, and it’s amazing so far to hear how her experience fuels her trust in God. If you get a chance to read it, I hope it encourages you too!