Maybe you’ve heard the saying ‘use it or lose it’. What about ‘lose it or use it’? Are there things in your life that are preventing you from stepping up to fuller commitment and service for the Lord – in other words, things that are effectively ‘using’ you? Perhaps it’s time to ‘lose’ them! If the things keeping you from serving God are not cut out of your life, then there will always be the temptation to use them and allow yourself to get distracted.
Give It Up
Paul wrote to the church of God in Corinth quoting a saying of the time that
‘All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.‘ (1 Cor. 10:23).
[perfectpullquote align=”right” size=”17″]Knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord involves us committing more fully to following Him and serving Him[/perfectpullquote]There are so many ‘things’ that we can get involved with that we can enjoy and occupy our time, energy and commitment with, which may not be bad in themselves; anything from hobbies, study or work, to friendships and relationships. The problem arises when these things distract us from being able to more fully step up to serve the Lord and commit our lives to Him. When they get in the way of that, they’re not beneficial and they’re not edifying to us spiritually.
Knowing Him is better than loss
The apostle Paul had so much going for him in this world, but this is what he wrote:
‘Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…‘ (Phil. 3:7-8)
Knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord involves us committing more fully to following Him and serving Him – and that will mean being prepared to turn away from some things currently in our lives which are harming our relationship with the Lord. Are you willing then to be a ‘loser’ for Christ’s sake?
Craig Jones, The Church of God in Toronto
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