Philippians 1:21 – To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain | Finding True Purpose in Christ

Philippians 1:21

²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (NIV)

Paul writes in his letter to the church that to live is Christ. This is a choice. Christ is who He lives for. The mission of Christ is what he lives for. And it is by Christ that He is empowered to live this way. Paul lives for Christ, and his words stir us to question what we are living for. 

We need a purpose. We were created in the image of God, and in that image, we must have an aim that we pursue. We will choose an aim, although we do not always do so intentionally. If we do not define the goal of our lives, life will define it for us. Living in this world means experiencing various pressures stemming from life's experiences. These experiences will determine the aim of our lives if we do not intentionally consider what we want as an aim. Before we realize it, we will be living for the approval and love of other people. We might live to prove to ourselves that we are not the pitiful souls others have made us out to be. Depending on their definition of success or a good life, our aim will be formed for us. If they have defined a good life in terms of money, then money becomes our aim. If they define a good life as love, then our aim is romance. If they define a good life as an education and a good job, this becomes our aim. However, the good life God promises, which can only be found in Him, does not come from aiming our lives at earning the approval or love of others. The good life comes when we aim our lives toward God in gratitude for all that He has done. Then, what we do, we do for Him. This aim leads to the good life.

Wisdom is found as we pause to consider what we are living for and who we are living for. We need time to contemplate what moves our mind and heart in what we do each day. It’s only when we pause to identify how our aim has been shaped by the issues and relationships of this life that we can see how our aim and purpose have been defined. Only then can we also pause to decide if that aim is the one we truly want. We have intrinsic value to decide who and what we live for, but if we don’t take advantage of this power, the powers of life rushing at us from all directions will define what and who we live for. 

As Joshua said, “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

Prayer: Lord, today, help me not to rush through the fast pace of life, but let me pause to consider what and who I live for. And if it is not you, transform me so that the aim of my life is You. Amen.