The Secret

'I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want: I can do all things through him who gives me strength.' Philippians 4:12 -13 NIV

     I memorized this passage years ago, but I always wondered exactly what that secret was. I figured it must be something to do with God. Maybe He gave Paul the gift of contentment. Or maybe Paul was just a superhero of the faith, practically perfect in every way. Well, thanks to Caleb Robbins, our Youth Minister for the week, I learned the secret of being content.

Want to hear it?

     Here it is: God is the prize.

     Not heaven, not bringing people to Christ, not eternal life. Knowing Jesus, right now, talking to God, right now, that is the prize.

     Wow. So simple, but life changing. Think about it. Even now, when you don't have it all together, when you still make mistakes, while he is still making you perfect, you have THE prize.

     You only need one thing in life. No, not family or friends. Not even food or water. God is all you need. Everything else is a want. Isn't that mind blowing? I have everything I need, because God is everything I need. I have the prize.

     So, when you are lying in bed at midnight, and the power is off, and it's Africa hot, you can still be content because you don't need sleep or a fan. You need God, and no one can separate you from him. When you wake up and make your list of priorities, it only has God. Because if God is in every part of your life, then your family relationships will strengthen, your grades will climb, and your job will be awesome.

"But whatever were gains to me 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." Philippians 3:7-8  NIV                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

      Sometimes, I fail to consider everything a loss. I give wants the status of needs. This week was so awesome because Caleb discredited every single thing that might be able to compete with God in my heart. Things that could become the PRIZE in my life. Family, friends, circumstances, even the work that He has called me too. I realized that there were many things, good things by themselves, that had become idols in my life.

     The problem with idols is that sooner or later they begin to control you. Your identity becomes what the idol dictates. Your idol begins to control your emotions. Your mood begins to depend more and more on either your idol's mood, or your idol's opinion of you. Guess what? Idols are not constant, and your life becomes a roller coaster of emotions.

     For me, it wasn't things so much things as it was loved ones. I wasn't able to love them like Jesus would, because their actions held so much sway over me. With God as my idol, it is his opinion of me that dictates my identity: I am a child of God. I am loved SO much. I was saved by grace. He WANTS me.  I have joy simply because I not only have the prize, but I recognize it as the ultimate prize: knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.