Dear :
Your letter at hand states, "How can one who is in prison be thankful? You may say this because you are free."
Yes, what you say is natural. During the war I was also in prison in Osaka, and believe I can understand something of how you feel. To be in prison is surely unpleasant, as‘ I remember it now. They took my glasses away as soon as I was put in, and, as it was my first experience in prison, I felt very awkward and bewildered.
At first, in solitary confinement, I could not tell what was happening on the outside. As the days went by, however, I came to understand clearly, even though I could not see. I could tell by the footsteps which guard was walking around, or when it was almost mealtime, and I even received news.
I don't say it with pride, but it was my experience that it is possible to live a thankful life, even in that dreadful place.
No doubt you now have bitterness in your heart, and you suffer greatly because of it. Why does a man have bitterness and pain in his heart? It is because of sin. Sin— what a repulsive word! Nobody wants to think of the word "sin." But we must face it, for that is our problem.
The Bible says all human beings are sinners. They are not sinners because they commit sin, but they commit sin because they are sinners! A rotten tree bears rotten fruit. As both you and I have experienced, we commit sin because sin is in our hearts. How wretched man is! This is the true condition of all human beings.
The Lord Jesus said, "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (Matthew 15:1919For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:19)). Because these things are in the heart, they do come out.
The story of the first two human beings, Adam and his wife Eve, pictures to us the wretched state of man. This story is neither a myth nor fiction. It is a historical record of a man and his wife.
After they disobeyed God and committed sin in the garden of Eden they realized they were naked. They then sewed fig leaves together and made aprons for themselves. But they still were afraid of God, so they hid from His presence among the trees of the garden. However, we cannot hide from God. He knows all our sins.
In another picture from the Bible, King David, a great king and respected by the entire nation of Israel, commits sin. And then, greatly troubled, tries to cover his sin. God then has to expose him through a prophet who said: "You are the man." David then confesses his sin, saying, "I have sinned against the Lord," and God forgives him. Then, he found true happiness. (2 Sam. 12:1-131And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 7And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. (2 Samuel 12:1‑13)).
In Psalm 32:11<<A Psalm of David, Maschil.>> Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. (Psalm 32:1) David writes about the happiness of forgiveness: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
Everyone looks for happiness, but how can we be happy if the heart is not at peace? We might call the pleasures of this world "happiness," or say, if I were in such a position I would be happy! Would you not rather have an inward happiness that you could be happy under any circumstances, though you were without anything?
Then take your true place before God as the publican did in Luke 18:1313And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13), "God be merciful to me a sinner." We read in the next verse: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified...he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The first step to obtaining happiness is to confess to God, "I am a sinner," and your sins will be forgiven, and you will be just before Him.
The Lord Jesus came from heaven to call not the self-righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:1313But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:13)). He lived in poverty as the friend of sinners, and loved those whose hearts were suffering from sin. Can you find love like that in this world?.
Moreover, He died as our substitute, to save us from hell, taking upon His holy and sinless body our sins. Whoever believes in Him, the Savior, has his sins forgiven, and is given eternal life and becomes a child of God, one who can call God his Father and have fellowship with Him. Henceforth, the Christian can be thankful in all kinds of adversity.
I remember when I was in prison, the most glorious thing while there was that I was given time to think and quietly pray to God. Neither the iron door nor the stone wall could hinder me from doing this. Jesus Christ, who died and rose from the dead, and intercedes for me at the right hand of God, gave me grace.
When I was critically ill in prison, I was especially encouraged by the words in Rom. 8:3535Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35): "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" In every circumstance I was more than conqueror in Christ.
Moreover, every Christian has the Holy Spirit through whom he can freely have fellowship with God in these circumstances. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." (2 Cor. 4:88We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; (2 Corinthians 4:8)).
Some day when Jesus returns for His own, we shall be changed and have glorified bodies, and be taken up to be with Him. Whatever may happen here, heaven is open to us!
My friend, you are now living an uncomfortable life in prison. Even though you are there, if you will believe in God and take Christ as your Savior, you will experience, as I have, a happy and thankful life. God is faithful, therefore, with assurance I witness to you of the reality of this salvation which is in Christ. Please read the following verses from His Word.