14TH JANUARY
Philippians 3:7-9
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
As CS Lewis said, “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind!”
The joy of the Christian experience is the dominant theme running through the book of Philippians. The words “joy” and “rejoice” are used 16 times in this letter.
Most likely, Paul drafted Philippians during his two years of house arrest in Rome. Although he had faced real hardships, poverty, beatings, illness, and even his current imprisonment, in every circumstance Paul had learned to be content.
What made Paul so content with life, when his life looked like a mess? I mean, think about it! He was
away from loved ones, he was in prison, he was probably not well fed, his life was in danger, he was wrongly accused, and the list goes on!
In Philippians, Paul conveys a powerful message about the secret of contentment. The source of his joyous contentment was rooted in knowing Jesus Christ! That’s how he was able to praise God in prison. That’s how he was able to write to the Philippians about joy and not complain about how his life was so full of trials.
MAKE IT PERSONAL
What would make you more content? More money? A new house? A promotion? Or knowing Jesus Christ more? Be honest with yourself and write down somewhere what you think brings you most joy.