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IBS 41 - Philippians 3:8

Philippians 3:8
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”
Losing all things to gain Christ, considering them garbage. That’s intense. That’s hard to do. It takes a lot of faith and trust to get to that point. It’s one step at a time. Growing up, I’d here this verse. “You have to get rid of everything to have Christ.” That scared me, I didn’t want to get rid of my baby dolls and nail polish. As I got older, I learned the deeper truth to this verse. It’s not just giving up items, it’s giving up bad habits, your wants, your rights. It’s giving it all to God to know Him better. 
When God told me to do Potter’s Field, I said no. I didn’t want to give anything up. I wanted to keep control, doing what I wanted to do, following my own dreams, holding on to earthly possessions. As God worked on my heart, it got harder to say no. He began to break me down before I got here. He showed me how empty my life was prior to this. God and I struggled for a little while until I said, “Fine, I’ll go.” When I decided that, God made me lay down a lot of things that were really hard for me to give up. My family, friends who really relied on me, a relationship, comfort, control, the list could go on. But since giving those things up, as I continue to struggle to give some of them up day after day, my relationship with Christ has gotten so much better. 
I’m gaining Christ. I’m laying down my old life for a new better one. A new life dedicated to Christ. Knowing Him, able to call Him friend, having Him as my Lord and Savior. Surrendering to Christ is a scary thing that is constantly being worked on, but the result is so much freedom and joy. Gaining Christ is worth the loss of all things.


Application: I’ll write Philippians 3:8 on my arm and use that as a reminder to constantly lay down my rights for Christ. Vanessa will hold me accountable.  

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