I read with great interest some time ago an article in Texas Monthly about Georgi Vins, that Russian Baptist pastor who spent eight years in a Siberian prison camp because according to the Russians, he had injured the health of Russian people by preaching religious doctrine. His book, Testament from Prison, is characterized by simple joy. There is no word of complaint about prison life. In contrast to all the other literature that we’ve been able to glean from the writing of other prisoners in Russia, there is no word about prison conditions. For eight years he slept on a cold concrete floor. For eight years he subsisted on barley, tea, and weak soup. He never once told anybody about it, and he never once complained about it.
He was willing to take the sufferings and the hardships because there was a commitment in his life. He said that prison for Christians is good; it strengthens their faith. In fact, he said if there were no prisoners in Russia, he doubts if there would be a church in Russia. You see, when we are committed to Christ, and when our desire is to magnify, glorify, and serve him, then that purpose is so great in our lives that everything else is inconsequential. If we live, that is fine. If we suffer, that is fine. If we die, that is fine. It really doesn’t matter so long as we can use that experience, whatever it is, to magnify him.