But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…
Yesterday we talked about the value of Christ.
I asked you a question, what are you searching for? I hope you found an answer after a time of reflection.
Today, could you put it to the test?
What are you searching for?
What value has this pursuit given you? Is there any?
What harm has the pursuit guided you into?
Is there any chance that pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly may be the better option? Why or why not?
Is there anything related to this pursuit that God tells you now, “it is time to let go of that”?
If the answer is yes to the above question, construct a battle plan to cut whatever it is out of your life. Be ruthless.
Please, I urge you to sit on each of these questions, think it through, and do not let your emotions be the primary guide to your conclusions.
I won’t go into detail today, but I see comfort as something I do desire to hold onto. This challenge is made to deal with that.
Again, do not just pass over these questions. It is easy to see reflection as useless. You may be thinking “Give me something to DO.”
Well, I am giving you something to do, talk to God as you reflect and ask Him questions.
Ask for wisdom, to see His glory, and the strength to pursue Him above whatever else you are prone to search for. Ask Him to remove whatever it is Himself – He will do it.
Sometimes asking God to remove something you love feels scary. I hope you can view that as a good thing because that shows that you believe God is alive and active in your life!
Note David Nasser’s words below if you are still considering blowing this task off,
“To ‘consider’ something means we carefully reflect; we work at understanding; we pursue the hidden truth. Illusions don’t die easily. Paul had to take time and effort to search the Scriptures and compare the real truth to what he had thought was true. I get the idea it was a real struggle, like mining for gold through painstaking, grueling labor. That’s how wealth is accumulated: the wealth of gold and the wealth of spiritual riches… Paul’s search for truth shattered the illusion in his life, and it led him to take action. Christ was not just his treasure in theory but in fact.”
Consider doing your time of reflecting on the questions above during your walk today. Getting outside, moving, and talking with God provides a mental clarity that I do not find sitting down.
For nutrition, I recommend not going too strict for the sake of consistency for 40 days.
I will commit to these two rules: