“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” Phil. 1:21

With something else on my mind today, I turned and found comfort in this excerpt from "A Heart Set Free: 40 Days in Philippians", the devotional guide I helped author in 2004 for our home-grown follow-up to "40 Days of Purpose".

From where do I derive significance in my life?

My Financial World, the concerns of cash flow, bills, investments, debt, charitable giving, and savings?

My Working World, the development of my “career path”; my present job and my activities to create a future more to my liking?

My Relational World, my marriage, my children, my family of brothers, sisters, parents, etc.; friendships with people I know in the community or at work or school, and those living farther away?

My Home World, crafting my “personal environment” to be a peaceful place of comfort where I can rest, relax, and satisfy my “creature comforts”?

My Intellectual World, the books, magazines, films, television, music and other media that I use to stimulate my thoughts and ideas?

My Thought World, that inner realm unknown to all but God and myself, where my own satisfaction is all consuming?

My Spiritual World, consisting of nothing other than my relationship to God through faith in Jesus?

Let’s be candid: With a heading like Philippians 1:21, we know that the last choice is the correct answer, right? Yet, have I made it the primary focus of my day? How does my investment of time, money, thought, energy, and conversation reveal where I’m finding meaning and purpose?

I long to affirm verse 21 with Paul, but too often I fall short. I “swim upstream”, against the current of the good work that God began and promises to complete in me. Thank God, his grace will ultimately win the day!

Question for Reflection: As I re-read the above list of worlds, am I troubled by the way one or more of them wrongly influences my sense of personal significance? What can I do about that?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, be my life. Please touch every area of my life and remind me that those areas, whatever else they may be, are not my life. You are my life. Amen.