Striving

Recently I have begun to notice in myself what I will call a "Striving Spirit." Over the past two years I think that I have developed a self-identity that basically consists of:

• young
• inexperienced
• unqualified

This is probably because I've spent most of that time surrounded by people older, more experienced, and more qualified. Unfortunately, that identity created in me an insecurity that I am:

• alone
• not good enough
• not going to make it

Therefore, I have been striving to rectify this identity. Pursuing friends, trying to get better experiences, and greatly desiring more education, to name a few of my strivings. Overall, I'm really just seeking some approval and some applause.

Galatians 1:10: "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

John 5:44: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?"

It's all well and good to tell yourself to give up striving, but how?

Luke 10:20: "Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

It's a change of attitude. Paul has some more interesting things to say about striving in Philippians 3:

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith." - verses 7-9

This is a powerful message to give up striving. Not only can you not achieve righteousness (salvation) by your actions, but everything is subordinate to the fact that you have Christ. Nothing else really matters. Not titles, nor degrees, nor accomplishments, nor friends.

Matthew 6:33: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Jesus is speaking there of abstaining from worries, but the same applies to strivings - seek Christ first and foremost! This presents an interesting dichotomy, for Paul is not done in Philippians 3:

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - verses 13-14

Paul is now instructing us to return to striving! Now that we have abandoned striving for things in order to pursue Christ foremost, we must return to striving after God, who is calling us upward and forward! How then do we reconcile this?

Philippians 3:15: "Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude..."

Paul uses a powerful Greek word here for attitude (phroneo) which he has made a nice habit of using throughout Philippians. Other uses of phroneo in Philippians?

• 1:7 - love for the Philippians, confidence in their progress
• 2:2 - unity, love, joy
• 2:5 - the extreme humility and meekness of Christ found in the next few verses
• 4:2 - harmony and unity
• 4:10 - loving concern for the right things

Let us then give up strivings for righteousness in favor of focusing on Christ, but let us strive for righteousness with the attitude which Paul promotes throughout Philippians!