Counting it All Loss for the Sake of Christ

Warning- this is a very faith focused post. I know some of my readers don’t share the same faith as me. I just wanted to let you all know ahead of time that this post is vulnerable and is about Jesus.

Today I had this realization that I have some major pride about my life and my accomplishments and sometimes it gets in my way. I get jealous of other people who are leading and living out their callings in ministry and in business partly because I know I have my own calling and gifts that I don’t feel are being fully utilized yet.

Let me get specific- as a Christian, I am called to turn to God and not trust in my own strength and accomplishments. Yet, I am still stuck in a performance based mentality in many ways.

The apostle Paul in the book of Philippians talks about all of his education, intelligence and human accomplishments and then, he goes on to say that he now counts them all as rubbish compared to the wonderful reality and blessing of knowing Christ. I feel convicted by Paul’s words and decided to put myself in this passage instead of Paul- starting in Philippians 3:

“I (Shelley) might have confidence in the flesh- if anyone else thinks she/she may have confidence in the flesh, I more so- I grew up Christian. I have been a good girl. I have been involved in campus ministries, led Bible Studies, worked at a church, been on multiple mission trips for many months, have been in a ministry school, learned healing prayer and prophecy, started prayer ministries, have a master of arts in counseling, licensed, certified as a life coach, career counselor, faculty, and daughter of the former Attorney General of Indiana. I have had wonderful relationships and have had mountain top experiences.”

Continuing in Philippians, “But what things were and have been gain to me (privilege, reputation, facebook likes, blessings in the past) these things I have counted loss for Christ. Yet, indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have suffered loss of all things, and count them as rubbish (trash, excrement), that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His ressurection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

What does all this mean? In my human flesh, I confess that I sometimes do desire to be liked, to be prestigious, to be successful and looked up to. I do have credentials and qualifications. But, I know that none of those things can ultimately give me peace or true meaning. For me as Christian, my identity is in the unchangeable and amazing fact that I am a beloved daughter of God. My resume means nothing in the kingdom of God.

I recently launched my new business Soul Purpose Coaching and I’m hoping it is successful because I love to help people and I feel called to do so. Yet, let’s say it flops, it’s okay because my identity and worth are not defined by ANY of my accomplishments. On the flip side, my identity and worth are also not defined by my failures. I have missed the mark of perfection in my my own life again and again but thankfully, it is not up to me to be perfect. It is up to me to trust in Jesus and His perfection. Period.

What about you? Where do you feel like you need to let go and “count it all loss” for the sake of Christ?

Blessings and love brothers and sisters,

Shelley