Learning to Live a Life of Loss, part 1

Welcome back to our third week in a series based on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. This wonderful little letter teaches us how to experience joy during the tough times of life. During week one, we covered Philippians chapter 1, where Paul urges us to “live as if God is in control.” Last week, we looked at chapter 2, where Jesus, our Lord, is presented as a perfect example for behavior in times of difficulty and persecution. Jesus is our model for enduring tough times. Now here we are in week three, and we will look at Philippians 3, where we see that the Apostle Paul is also a model for us, in learning what it means to endure hardship.

A quintessential attribute, and the point of the Christian life, is this: Learning How to Live a Life of Loss. Suffering and hardship should come as no surprise to us. The Scriptures are full of examples of people who, even though they were in relationship with God, went through a season, or seasons, of suffering. In fact, one of the longest prophetic books in the Bible, was written by a man named Jeremiah, who was known as “the weeping prophet.” I’m fairly sure, friends, we cannot fully explain the meaning of suffering philosophically, but we can go through hard times in a Christlike manner.

Because He is a God of full-disclosure, Jesus warned us, in John 15:20, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” CSB. Then, in 1 Peter 4:12, the Apostle Peter said, “Don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual was happening to you” CSB. And in Acts 14:22, in a different time and context, the Apostle Paul encouraged new believers with these words, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” CSB.

To top it off, one of the last messages given to us by the Apostle Paul warns, “All who want to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12 CSB. All four of these preceding passages are “full-disclosure passages,” and really are given to us as points of encouragement, letting us know, especially in our points of persecution and difficulty, that we are NOT alone.

This week, as we look into Philippians 3, we will discover that Paul offers himself as an example for how to go through hard times.

Near the end of this chapter, in verse 17, Paul writes, "Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us” CSB. As we read through the New Testament, we find that this kind of exhortation is common in Paul’s letters. He often offers his own life as a personal example for others to follow. 

Continued tomorrow