My paraphrase for one of the famous passages Paul wrote in the book of Philippians goes like this: I consider it all fertilizer used in growing the garden of my life.
What he actually said, according to the King James rendition is: ‘But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith…’ (3:7-10)
So everything that counts for me as gain, or success or fame or fortune, I consider the growing experiences that make up the fertilizer that makes the garden of my life beautiful.
Furthermore, I count all my losses, my sorrows, my struggles and pain, my heartaches, my sicknesses and my frustrations as part of that fertilizer for this incredible garden as well.
The people I meet along the way and the experiences I go through all cultivate my life. Love drives it all, bringing it all together with a perfect harmony only my Father in heaven could pull-off.
Rain without sunshine would drown us, sunshine without rain would leave us parched and dying. There is a perfect balance in the peace of God, which exceeds our human understanding, but gives rest to the weary and empowers us for life.
The only way to obtain God’s peace is through His living Word. Our losses and gains are merely a wasted pile of manure without the peace of God. Engage with His Word today.
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