Weighing Out Temptation

What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Philippians 3:7 

An easy way to remember the concept of Philippians 3:7 is to think of it like weight: gaining is bad and losing is good!

I read this verse in my devotions earlier this week and little things keep on popping up and making me go back to this verse. I’ve known this verse for forever, but it wasn’t till this week that I realized the full extent of this verse.

“What things I gain” not only includes what I do but what I THINK! Every thought toward any person that is not God-centered is selfish, and the only thing I gain is a small second of getting back at a person in our mind.

You see, whatever a loss is for Christ is essentially a loss for me as a Christian because I lose a chance to serve my Lord. Every thought that is not focused toward Christ-likeness is an egotistical thought that should not be in my mind.

This really hit me this week when I caught myself instantly start thinking bad thoughts whenever I saw a certain person that annoys me a ton! I would think about how rude they were to me and little instances where they had--in my mind--wronged me. Before I knew it, I would be very irritated at that person just by thinking of my past relationship with them. Then this verse came into my head, and I knew I was wrong--plain and simple.

The only way that I can stop myself from having these selfish thoughts is by replacing them with good. For me, that means every time I see this person I pray for him. Even If I don’t want to, I do, because just like Christ showed sacrificial love toward me, I need to do the same for others. (2 Cor. 10:7)

Bringing a verse to mind whenever a temptation comes your way is one of the best things you can do; it is a constant reality check of how are lives should be. The Bible tells us that none of us will be tempted without a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13), and keeping Scripture in the fore-front of our minds is an always-present, never-fail way of escape from any temptation (Psalm 119:11).

AT (High School Junior)