"To Live is Christ to Die is Gain"

One of my favorite books in the Bible during this time has been Philippians. What a book of joy! If you struggle in the area of joy I suggest taking a good L.O.N.G look at the book of Philippians. Paul pours out in this book from the depths of his persecution. Spending long periods of time in jail for the sake of the gospel, Paul still encourages the church to "rejoice always" (Phil 4:4).

Two verses of this book have jumped off the page to me as I have combed through.

"The things which happened to me [Paul] have actually turned out

for the furtherance of the Gospel" Phil 1:12

"For you it has been granted on behalf of Christ to believe in Him

but also to sufferfor His sake" Phil 1:29

So I think we can all agree that life brings its trials. No one is immune to the suffering and pain this world brings with it. But isn't it amazing to be able to press through those trials with the power, love and mercy of Christ by your side? I cannot imagine walking the road of grief and emptiness without Jesus by my side, if not carrying me each step. Anyway, that said, these verses bring out some interesting perspectives about suffering. In Phil 1:12 Paul has seen the fruit that comes out of our pain. "The things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel" PRAISE GOD! Friends, God takes the mess the enemy makes and produces good...EVERY TIME if you love God, more importantly, if you love His son Jesus.

Imagine you experience pain and suffering so great, but it is immediately taken by God and formed into goodness. You begin to see the goodness, people come to know God, you feel God and hear from God like you have never in your life, Your marriage gets better and closer, you are in the Word more, you are completely dependent on God for everything in your day-to-day list of activities. Imagine total peace. Imagine comfort in times of need. When you look back and you see the testimony that was built out of your pain it becomes hard to see the pain as "tragic". Sure it is pain, sure you suffered, sure you had tears and grief, but I would hardly label it as tragic now. But hindsight is 20/20 isn't it?

So many thought of Ruthie's short life as "tragic" because she died suddenly. "It's just so tragic" I heard people say, and even caught myself saying, "What a tragedy." But when you know Jesus like I do, should anything be tragic if God promises that they will be for the furtherance of the gospel? Is anything a "crisis" when God is sovereign and Has everything under control for your benefit and the benefit of those you love? Should we be so filled with grief that we can't move if God promises that our "citizenship is in heaven"(Phil 3:20) to those who believe in Jesus? I don't have the answers to these questions, but I encourage you to think about them to yourself. If you know God, and if you know Jesus, can crisis, grief, and tragedy really overwhelm your life when a promise like the scriptures above exist? It is hard to see Ruthie's life as tragic when I know, feel and experience the fruit of her life daily. Painful, yes...tragic...I don't think so.

How have we "suffered for His sake?" We have chosen to glorify God through the pain. The pain exists, we are not denying that. Is it possible though, that we put the pain aside on a few occasions and give glory to the God that got us through it all? YES! PRAISE GOD YES!!! Paul also says, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil 1:18). In Paul's view Ruthie's death was GAIN! I hear myself thinking, "Gain God? Really? But it feels like such a loss!" That is because our perspective on this Earth is skewed. To live requires the pain and suffering for the sake of Christ, but to die, that is eternal gain; a glorified body, no sickness or disease, perfection, the face of Jesus and the presence of God the Father. When we really sit back and behold what waits for us in Heaven (this and SO much more) death really is a gain. Ruthie is my sweet "eternal gain."

God Bless you for walking with me through my moments in the valley and my moments on the mountain top. There is a Third Day song that says, "We must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain of God." It is in our moments of great weakness that God's strength can shine through. That is the blessing of pain. When we see God in His glory and power in our times of trouble we KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is real, He is personal, relational, and the Savior of the World.

As you can see I have received much comfort through music. I hope these Godly artists and Christ centered songs have been a blessing to you.