The passage from Philippians that we focused on last week, Philippians 1:12-30, ends with these words:
“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 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”
—Philippians 1:27-30
When I think about my purpose and my goals, I know I fall short of “striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.” I do and say things to further my agenda, without always thinking of what is best for Christ. And this makes me truly sad.
Today, I repent. I repent of all the times I have put myself first and what I think is best over living Christ in every situation. What does this mean? It means I will suffer and struggle–just as Paul did and just as Christ did. And that I will have true joy and peace beyond understanding.
Does my repentance mean I won’t ever fail again? Obviously not, but that knowledge will no longer be an excuse. I will live Christ and continue to repent when I fail. I will choose to turn towards Christ in everything. Will you join me? Will you join me in repenting of all wrongs up to this point and going forward knowing we are completely forgiven? Will you join me in living Christ? Your answer will make all the difference in the world.
–Pastor Jana Lee