1:4-7 Partnership The apostle Paul relied on fellow believers to help him communicate the gospel and accomplish his mission. Ministry to and with people with disabilities is no different. For our service to be effective, it must be relational. There are no lone rangers in disability ministry, and we can learn a lot from community organizations who love and serve families affected by disabilities.
1:21-25 Living with Suffering Prolonged suffering has the power to bring us face to face with Paul’s dilemma here. Is being with Christ now better than living a life of pain? It’s a familiar question for people with severe disabilities. While Paul repeatedly faced death, he sought to preserve his life with the goal of using every breath to glorify God and with the understanding that once his time on earth was done, he would be with Christ. In light of that hope, God preserved Paul’s life again and again so that he could continue to serve and bless others.
1:29 Christian Life Following Christ inevitably involves suffering. It is one of the means of grace by which we are molded into the perfect likeness of him who suffered in our place.