Rubbish

Phil. 3:7

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.

What a mindset! How did Paul change so drastically? I know he saw Jesus personally, but still shouldn't we be able to replicate this attitude? Even though our encounter with Jesus is much more intangible, He should transform our desires. Are we struggling against the Spirit and clutching desperately to the flesh? Is the world so tempting that we can't let go? Whatever it is, it's not right! I must pray for an overwhelming desire, one that will make Jesus more important than anything else. I want to count everything as loss compared to knowing Jesus because knowing Jesus means eternal life.

In v. 8 Paul said, 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--Paul did suffer the loss of all things even his own life. Yet massive amounts of hardships and persecution did not deter him in his desire to be found in Christ. Thankfully, to be in Christ means being covered in His righteousness. Without Jesus, I would have no life and no hope for any righteousness. He is my all. So why do I still cling to the world? What a quandary! 

Amazingly, Paul struggled with these same issues in Rom. 7. 18-23. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. It is truly hard for me to fathom that Paul felt this way, but I imagine the flesh is the flesh. Obviously, Satan knows how powerful it is or he wouldn't have bothered to tempt Christ. All the more reason, to seek Jesus wholeheartedly and keep my focus singular.

Father,

I confess allowing the flesh to win repeatedly. Strengthen me to withstand temptation, and increase my desire for Jesus. Narrow my focus. Keep Jesus in my thoughts all throughout the day. 

In His name,

Amen