Onesimus was a slave and servant of Philemon. He had run away from Philemon and evidentally robbed him in the process. This runaway slave came into contact with the Apostle Paul and through Paul’s witness, trusted in Christ. An incredible divine appointment!

So Paul is writing his letter, which we know as the book of Philemon in the Bible, to address the situation. He is informing Philemon that he is sending Onesimus back to him. 

 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,  hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus  Philemon 4-6

In times of difficulty, we can get distracted from our true priorities. Paul prayed that during this challenging time, Philemon would do some specific things, and they apply to us as well.

How to Live with Purpose in Difficult Times:

1 – Grow in Our Knowledge of Christ

“Acknowledgement” in the verses above means a deep or true understanding.

The more fully we understand the blessings we have in Christ, the more willing we are to share Him with others.

In times of crisis, there is often more “free time” as a result. Whether a natural disaster, social unrest, or health pandemic, crises often create margin for people that they are not accustomed to while waiting for the situation to pass.

So use this extra time to grow closer to the Lord!

2 – Grow in Our Witness for Christ

Even in times of trouble, we should be focused on sharing our faith. Don’t let a crisis distract you from telling others about Christ!

Has salvation become any less important during times of crisis? Of course not! In fact, more people are thinking about life and death, more people are experiencing fear, more people are looking for hope.

Look for divine opportunities to share Christ even during a crisis time.

Doing these two things will give purpose to difficult seasons in life.