Reflect on what was studied and discussed at Care Group on 3/3 (Phil 1:21-end). Share what you personally can apply, were challenged by, or blessed by in some way. Those not present can stay up to date with your help!
I was encouraged to know that while I am at work, surrounded by negativity, that I am not alone because Christ is our head and he is always with me. Also, though I can't always openly share the gospel, I can ask God to give me strength to handle things with his grace and thereby show his love daily. Paul said for to live is Christ and to die is gain- we talked about how "to die" we usually mean a physical death, but he could also mean a spiritual death, as in to die to self is Gain because then Christ can freely reign in us! Both ways are encouraging to me, in that to live I can serve Christ and i don't need to fear because I can keep my mind on the eternal reality of heaven, but also I can die to self and let him reign, which is what I have been asking him to do daily.
Please continue to pray for me at work, as it is a constant battle to not let the stress of the job take over rather than Christ!
Even when you're not in the work environment any more, the struggle to not let "self" reign continues. Paul saw his life as a win-win situation. His focus was so entirely on Christ that whatever happened to him on earth just accomplished God's plan and dying was even better. His living and dying were both physical and spiritual. If I look at my circumstance (like Paul did) as opportunities to live for Christ and not "punishment", my life starts to take on a joy that is supernatural because there is no good reason to be joyful. Summer, I will remember you at your job or is it "jail"?
I was encouraged to know that while I am at work, surrounded by negativity, that I am not alone because Christ is our head and he is always with me. Also, though I can't always openly share the gospel, I can ask God to give me strength to handle things with his grace and thereby show his love daily. Paul said for to live is Christ and to die is gain- we talked about how "to die" we usually mean a physical death, but he could also mean a spiritual death, as in to die to self is Gain because then Christ can freely reign in us! Both ways are encouraging to me, in that to live I can serve Christ and i don't need to fear because I can keep my mind on the eternal reality of heaven, but also I can die to self and let him reign, which is what I have been asking him to do daily.
ReplyDeletePlease continue to pray for me at work, as it is a constant battle to not let the stress of the job take over rather than Christ!
Even when you're not in the work environment any more, the struggle to not let "self" reign continues. Paul saw his life as a win-win situation. His focus was so entirely on Christ that whatever happened to him on earth just accomplished God's plan and dying was even better. His living and dying were both physical and spiritual. If I look at my circumstance (like Paul did) as opportunities to live for Christ and not "punishment", my life starts to take on a joy that is supernatural because there is no good reason to be joyful.
ReplyDeleteSummer, I will remember you at your job or is it "jail"?