Trade-Offs – Part 1

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. Philippians 3:8

No matter how hard you try, you can’t ‘have it all’. Life’s too short! There are trade-offs you must be willing to make. In Matthew chapter 19 we read the story of the man who wanted to follow Christ, but he didn’t want to give up his lifestyle. Paul, on the other hand, said, ‘I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.’ Let’s look at some trade-offs in life that are worth making: 1) Approval for accomplishment. For people-pleasers and approval-junkies this means realizing that awards are like smoke; they evaporate quickly. Awards turn to rust. Financial gain is quickly spent or lost. You must come to the place where ‘doing good’ means more to you than ‘looking good’. 2) Security for significance. Greatness doesn’t lie in what you earn or own; it lies in what you give your life to accomplish. Instead of merely focusing on making a living, ask God to help you make a difference! 3) Exploration for expertise. Too many of us like to dabble, but the problem with dabbling is that you never really become great at anything. True, when you’re young you should try new things and see where your strengths and interests lie. But as you get older you must become more focused. You will go far in life if you ‘specialize’ in something. If you study the lives of great men and women, you’ll find that they were single-minded and tenacious. So once you have found what God created and called you to do, stick with it and let the rest go.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me shed off the things that are not part of the “Main Thing” You would have me do and stay focused on what is really important. In Jesus’ Name, Amen