Dear brothers and sisters, the world is measuring us up everyday. The world often quantitates a person by their conditions, deeds, needs and how good or bad their situation is. So much that it overshadows the importance of the gospel. But when we see those things as the conditions and values of life, it will actually bring a lot of unhappiness and misery to us, because no matter how great something is, it can never reach the point of perfection. Let us ask ourselves: Will someone always be strong, never falter? Will one never get sick or feel lack? Will we never meet with problems? Is it really good to always be at the top of the table? The Lord’s greatest concern is to give us the gospel and within it, comes His grace. So even though we have a lot of issues, gaps or imperfections in life, it can all be used by the Lord. In Philippians 3:3-7, Paul wrote to the Church In Philippi, “ For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” What is Paul saying here? He has achieved many standards of the world in the past that he could boast of. And probably in the eyes of the people back then, he is a man of great qualities such that even his deeds are seen as faultless. But he ended here with “considering it all as loss”. Why so? Because of “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:8) Because the irresistible grace of God has come upon him, allowing him to realise that all that he has gained in flesh before have no value. So if we feel weak or incapable due to some lack in our lives, that is because we could have lost sight or yet to restore a gospel mindset. A gospel mindset for all the conditions we have right now. So what is a gospel mindset?

In Christ, all conditions are glorious. 

Wow, glorious sounds like a big word. And it seems like such a mismatch when in fact, we are still burdened by so many weaknesses, struggles and insecurities. But these conditions does not validate our precious identity as God’s beloved child. The Lord has a plan for each of us and to use our every condition. He wants us to demonstrate His grace and works right in the eye of our lacks and cracks. That is called having a gospel mindset in our conditions. But too often and very naturally, we will look at the status quo and sink into self pity, accusations or bitterness. We may feel lost and mundane when things are not looking good or we are not bearing any fruits. When all these thought of “not enough” comes, it torments us. So instead of letting them flow and grow in our hearts and minds, confirm, instead, that we have already received God’s helping hand in the form of His grace. So all that we go through possesses the potential of a spiritual lesson that God will use to fulfil through our lives. What could that spiritual lesson be? What renovation works could God be kicking start in your life?

When we have slowly restored the gospel mindset, it will lead to a gradual shift in our hearts. So that we are not so influenced or affected by changes, standards, needs or circumstances. Instead, we can all the more identify and remove the coat of relying on our flesh and desires. This transformation comes when the grace of God helps us understand our worth as a child of God that surpasses the checklist of the world. However, let us also not look at our conditions lightly. We would still have to possess certain conditions to work in our fields, to serve in church or to study as a student. But , we are relying on grace and the guidance of God’s truth to do so. If this is how we proceed to do all the things we are called to, then even if we are rich or poor, weak or strong, in abundance or lack, we will match it with God’s plans and link it to an eternal purpose. Like why am I studying so hard and still failing? Because God has called me to be here as a student now, and the testing of my failures help me rely more on Him and refine me in my perseverance and diligence for what He will bring me into, in the future. Or why should I still show love to someone who is not appreciative? Because through the process, God grows my capacity to love and I have the opportunity to help this person get closer to God one day. So gospelising our conditions make us more and more sober-minded in being led by God. Paul knows that if we do it any other way, following the flesh, men’s standards and values, we will be even more bounded, losing joy, in fear and always on the edge to strive for more. 

Therefore, even as we still struggle with our inherent weaknesses, let us all the more find answers through the gospel. When we hear a sermon or read the Word each time, grasp the Lord’s convictions for you. But if you are still unable to get through, do not remain in accusations or disappointments. Bring it up to the Lord in prayers and do not amplify it by overthinking or forming assumptions around it. One day, the Lord will help you understand or be liberated from it. In our lack, we must see the bigger grace of God. When the Lord does not take away your problems, you may wrestle a lot in emotions, but this pushes you into deeper prayers and reflections, seeing and experiencing God’s help, mercy and love even more. 

Maybe even sometimes through a message or a person. So brothers and sisters, God does not merely want to resolve our present issues, He wants you to really understand His grace and only through His grace can you be strengthened. God, in His timing, will refine and liberate us. At the end, God really wants us to restore the faith living as Paul has come to learn. One that relies solely on God and through His grace, receive the answers in life. 

So if you are often troubled in your hearts, lamenting about your conditions, do not let this thoughts settle down as standards you have to live up to. All our conditions find its place in God’s plans. So what we would have to keep doing is to keep restoring the gospel mindset, to understand what God is revealing to us in our God-given conditions and slowly putting down our flesh-driven ways to find joy in being in the rhythm of God’s grace. God bless.