GET A LIFE
Spend time in God’s Word and prayer to feed your faith
Philippians 1:27 NIV
[27] Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
It is possible to make a good living without putting together a great life, to work hard at providing all the ingredients of a comfortable existence without bringing them all together in a life of purpose and significance. It is possible to spend a major part of your life asking, “What is the point of all this?” and waiting to retire with the hope, “Now I can get a life.” A real life starts long before that!
A good life, like a classical symphony, has a major theme. This theme will work its way throughout the piece of music in a variety of forms. Sometimes it fades into the background, only to reappear later with renewed force and fresh expression.
Paul’s basic theme for the Philippians was, “You must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven” (Phil. 1:27). At that time, many of the people living in Philippi were Romans. Rome was their home; Philippi was a distant colony in which they were required to work and live. These people would have had no difficulty recognizing Paul’s analogy. Since they had embraced the Good News, they had become “citizens of heaven,” with temporary residence in the colony of earth. Their hearts belonged to heaven although their homes were on earth. Their longings and aspirations, their goals and their affections were rooted in eternity, although of necessity they were residing in time.
This core allegiance showed in the Philippians’ willingness to take a stand for what they believed. Paul expected to find them “standing side by side, fighting together for the Good News” (1:27). He wanted them to be willing to put their lives on the line and to recognize that in Christ they had found a cause worth living for and, accordingly, one worth dying for.
They understood the “privilege of suffering” for Christ (1:29). They were not alone—they lived constantly in the presence of the risen Christ. They experienced great “encouragement from belonging to Christ,” much “comfort from his love,” and “fellowship together in the Spirit” (2:1). They were learning not to be “selfish” or concerned about making an “impression,” and what it means to be genuinely “humble” and “interested in others, too, and what they are doing” (2:3-4).
All this was because the Philippians had grasped the wonder of Christ’s self-humbling to the point of the Cross, which provided for them the wonderful model of how to get a life. You give your life to God, as Jesus did, and then he gives it back filled with himself. That’s the difference between making a living and getting a life.
Philippians 1:29-30 NIV
[29] For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, [30] since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
Paul considered it a privilege to suffer for Christ. We do not by nature consider suffering a privilege. Yet when we suffer, if we faithfully represent Christ, our message and example affect us and others for good (see Acts 5:41).
Suffering has these additional benefits:
(1) It takes our eyes off of earthly comforts
(2) It weeds out superficial believers
(3) It strengthens the faith of those who endure
(4) It serves as an example to others who may follow us
When we suffer for our faith, it doesn’t mean that we have done something wrong. In fact, the opposite is often true—it verifies that we have been faithful. Use suffering to build your character. Don’t resent it or let it tear you down.
EVERY STEP TOWARD CHRIST KILLS A DOUBT. EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED FOR HIM CARRIES YOU AWAY FROM DISCOURAGEMENT.
Theodore Ledyard Cuyler (1822–1909)