“Making life about others means being a conduit of Christ’s love.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 6, 2025
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21
Fourteen years ago, my reaction to hearing I had cancer was not pretty. I was mad, “Lord, I don’t have time for this major life interruption, after all, I’m busy doing your work!” I was sad, “What if I miss experiencing our grandchildren growing up?” I was afraid, “I don’t want to die, I have so much more of life to experience!” Then the loving still small voice of the Spirit nudged my heart and opened my mind, “This is not about you, this is about Me, and My glory. My son, this is an opportunity to bless others so that you can live out, in My strength, what you believe. I want you to point people to Jesus…the doctors, the nurses, and those you love…point them to Me with your words, actions, and attitude.” A game changer indeed…It was not about me, but Him!
Paul writes Philippians 1:21 from prison. Picture a damp Roman cell where Paul, once a religious star and now a prisoner for Christ, writes the most joy-filled letter in Scripture. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” These aren’t words of desperate self-comfort; they’re the revelation of someone who’s discovered a viewpoint beyond circumstances. Writing from imprisonment, Paul faced two possibilities: execution or release. While most of us would obsess over our fate, he pondered which outcome would glorify Christ more. Paul viewed his chains as an opportunity—palace guards hearing about Jesus and believers growing bolder. What seemed to be a ministry-ending disaster had become divine strategy. If released, he’d continue serving; if executed, he’d be with Christ—the ultimate “gain.” Either way, his concern wasn’t personal comfort but magnifying Jesus. This challenges our modern mindset. In a world fixated on personal happiness, Paul offers an alternative: a life where our highest aim isn’t our wellbeing but glorifying the One who gave everything for us. It is not about us, but about God’s glory!
The most exhausting journey is the one where you’re the destination. We were never meant to be the point of our own stories. When life becomes about redirecting attention from ourselves to Jesus, something shifts. Suddenly, both sunshine and storms serve the same purpose—showing others where true hope lives. That promotion? An opportunity to demonstrate grace rather than pride. That illness? A canvas for displaying supernatural peace. That ordinary Wednesday? A chance to love extraordinarily. The question transforms from “Why is this happening to me?” to “How might Jesus be seen through this?” There’s energizing freedom in this holy redirection—we’re no longer burdened with being the hero of our story. Instead, we become signposts pointing to the One who can actually bear the weight of glory our hearts were never designed to carry. Our lives become arrows, not endpoints. Point beyond you so you are free to be you!
Making life about others and seeing Christ’s life lived through you means being a conduit of love. First, you must receive the love of the Lord and then display God’s love in your life. You cannot pour from an empty cup. You must first stand beneath its waterfall to be a conduit of heaven’s love. Each morning, position yourself to receive—through prayer, scripture, silence—allowing God’s holy affections to fill the parched places within. Only then can you become the channel rather than merely the container. This is the beautiful paradox: the more you allow yourself to be loved, the more naturally love flows through you to others. True service isn’t manufactured; it’s overflow. Your identity shifts from exhausted giver to joyful conduit, connected to an eternal source that never runs dry. The beauty of Jesus rises above all!
Prayer
Lord, today I surrender my pride and plans. Remind me it’s not about me. Let my life reflect Your love, serve others humbly, and bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Application
What area of your life is the Spirit leading you to shift from you to another?
Related Reading
Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Galatians 5:13; Philippians 2:3-4
Worship Resource
Elevation Worship: There is a King
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