Writing Loss Over My Life That I Might Know the King

Writing Loss Over My Life That I Might Know the King

Phil. 3:7-10

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Lord, many things in life use to be important to me, but chronic illness has caused me to write "LOSS" over them. That's o.k.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

I cannot do what I once could do. I cannot go where I once could go. Many of my friends are gone. Goals and plans are "on hold", and my future is "foggy". I must live one day at a time, but that's o.k….Yes, that's o.k…..as long as I can "GO DEEP" with You. "Intimacy with the King" (as Piper says) is a glorious thing. KNOWING YOU is worth the loss of all things. Yea…I count all things but loss for the excellency of the KNOWledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Oh, to be found IN YOU…what a glorious thing!

To be found IN YOU…so that when God the Father sees me, He sees not my righteousness (for I have none), but He sees YOUR perfect righteousness COVERING me from top to bottom. Hallelujah!

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto this death.

As I lay here the other night, Lord, counting all things but LOSS… even my "tent" – my body…I knew that Dr. John Piper's words were true –

The purpose for suffering is the INTIMACY FACTOR! When you go through suffering with Christ, you come out on the other side (whether on this earth or in heaven) more united; more intimate, more warm, more deep, more authentic, more personal, more real with Christ. You get to know Him better when you suffer with Him!

Lord, what does it mean to know the POWER of Your resurrection? To know a new "resurrection" life – one in which SELF dies and YOU live within me –takes a miracle! And that "miracle of power" comes as I count all things LOSS, by Your grace, and begin to KNOW You and FELLOWSHIP with You by EMBRACING my SUFFERINGS…the sufferings that I
have not sought, but which You have brought…for my good…THAT I MAY KNOW YOU!

Lord, You are calling me to EMBRACE my illness with JOY! And today You are calling me to go yet even deeper into the FELLOWSHIP of YOUR SUFFERING by SELF-DENIAL – which will make my sufferings in illness more intense. I long to know the POWER of Your resurrection, Lord. For without Your POWER, I can't begin to DIE TO SELF as this poem
says:

DYING TO SELF

When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ,THAT is DYING to SELF.

When Your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, THAT is DYING to SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder and irregularity or annoyance, when you stand face to face with waste, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured, THAT is DYING to SELF.

When you are content with any offering, any climate, any society, any raiment, any environment, food, or exposure that makes you ill…when you are content in growing worse because you cannot get your supplements and medicines….when you are content with any noise or schedule through no fault of your own which causes lack of sleep and makes you extremely ill, THAT is DYING to SELF.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or to record your own good words or itch after commendations, when you never care to let on about how poorly you feel, when you truly love to be unknown THAT is DYING to SELF.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy or question God while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances – THAT is DYING to SELF.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heat, THAT is DYING to SELF.


-Adapted, author unknown