By Richard Prow ~ rpcrosswords@gmail.com

Optimists see a glass as half full whereas pessimists see the same glass as half empty. But what does anyone see in a glass with only a few drops left in the bottom?  A person of great faith sees a well-spring of opportunity.
During the last years of his life the Apostle Paul spent more time behind bars than he did as a free man. While most would see imprisonment as a death sentence, Paul saw endless possibilities in his confinement. Paul used his jail time to write letters to the churches, pray for his fellow ministers, witness to prison guards, and preach to anyone who might listen. If not for prison, Paul would not have been able to fulfill his goal of preaching the Gospel in Rome. Paul it seems, always found a silver lining in his clouds.
For years a friend of mine had been sharing his faith with a troubled teenager who lived next door. The young man never seemed to pay much attention until my friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My friends’ unwavering faith, in the midst of a battle that would ultimately take his life, made a life changing impact on his young neighbor. Before he died, my friend said that he would suffer with cancer again if it would help change one more life.
The nails that held Jesus to the cross appeared at first to be nails in the coffin of His ministry. However, that apparent travesty turned out to be the single greatest moment in history. Without the sufferings of Christ, neither you nor I would have the opportunity to experience the forgiveness and salvation that was made available by God.
Circumstances are not always what they seem. The greatest triumphs in life often arise from what are perceived to be our darkest moments. Remember that the next time you feel as if you are behind bars.