Bob Russell is senior minister at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky.

The Apostle Paul was enchained in a Roman prison. That had to be a humiliating and disappointing experience. But Paul did three things that we would do well to emulate when circumstances seem to turn against us.

First, he kept a positive attitude. Paul followed his own advice to "do everything without complaining or arguing" (Philippians 2:14).

He didn't waste a lot of time griping or writing about how disappointed he was that God had let him down. Maybe his previous experience of seeing a Philippian jailer converted as the result of Christians singing and praying in a dungeon kept him upbeat.

Secondly, he faithfully proclaimed the gospel where he was. Paul may have envisioned himself preaching to thousands in a Roman arena or telling Caesar about Christ in the palace. It wasn't his dream to be confined to a Roman jail.

But he still proclaimed the gospel to those who visited and to the soldiers who were assigned to guard him. Some soldiers may have dreaded being appointed to guard Paul because they had to listen to the gospel. They couldn't escape; Paul had a captive audience!

Finally, Paul rejoiced in the positive results even though he wasn't released from prison.

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really 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" (Philippians 1:12-13).

Paul could already see good things happening. A number of Caesar's soldiers had become Christians. Maybe they would have the opportunity to share the good news with the emperor and his family. Other Christians were becoming bolder in their witness because of Paul's faithfulness (v. 14).

Paul's experience should encourage us to be a positive witness even though the circumstances may be different than we desire and even if the results are not readily apparent.

Popular author, Lee Strobel, recently related that he felt compelled to visit a former co-worker at the Chicago Tribune and talk with him about the Lord. He did his best to communicate the basics of salvation but left disappointed that there was so little interest in what he had to say.

For years Lee wondered why he felt so led to share his faith with a man who never responded. Over a decade later a complete stranger came up to Lee after he had completed a speaking engagement and said, "I wanted to come tonight and thank you for leading me to the Lord."

Lee wondered why he didn't recognize the man until he went on to explain that they had never really met.

"Several years ago I was unemployed and took a temporary job of laying tile in an office complex at the Chicago Tribune. One day when I was down on my hands and knees laying tile, I overheard you explaining the basics of the gospel to a guy in the next cubicle. You made it so understandable that I stayed on my knees and quietly listened to the entire presentation. I was convicted of my sin and of my need for Christ and decided to accept him as my Savior. I just wanted to thank you for faithfully sharing the gospel."

The Bible promises that when we sow the seed of God's Word it will produce a harvest -- even though the response may surprise us or may never be known on this earth. "...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).

*This article first appeared in The Lookout.

Bob Russell is an accomplished preacher at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., and author of 13 books. His latest, released in June 2002, is titled "Jesus Lord of Your Personality." His sermons are heard several times weekly on "The Living Word" a nationally syndicated radio program. He also writes a weekly column in The Lookout, a magazine printed by Standard Publishing.