Christ is Everything

One of my devotions from earlier this week. I liked it so much I wanted to post it.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." --Philippians 1:21

'For me, to live is Christ.' Those words don't work any other way. Try it: a) For me, to live is money...to die is to leave it all behind. b) For me, to live is fame...to die is to be quickly forgotten. c) For me, to live is power and influence...to die is to be replaced by others. d) For me, to live is possessions...to die is to depart empty-handed. Somehow the words fall flat, don't they?
When money's your obsession you can never get enough, and you live in constant fear of losing it. When fame's your goal you become competitive and manipulative lest others upstage you. That makes you insecure. When power and influence drive you, you become self-serving and strong-willed. That makes you arrogant. When possessions become your godm you become materialistic. That makes you greedy.
Whether you have or don't have, are known or unknown, live or die; only Christ can satisfy! And death? That only sweetens the pie. J.B. Philips writes, 'Living to me simply means Christ, and if I should die, I merely gain more of Him.'
So what's the bottom line? It's this: the secret of living is the same as the secret of joy; both revolve around Christ. Don't try to pursue happiness, just cultivate a Christ-centred, Christ-controlled life, and you'll have more happiness than you know what to do with!