Losing Our Rubbish to Know Christ Above All
Why “Good Stuff” Is Not Always Good for Us
Paul says something strong in Philippians 3:8. He says he counts all things as loss so he can know Christ. He even calls them rubbish. That word means trash or garbage. Paul once felt very proud. He was a top religious leader. People thought he was great (Philippians 3:4–6). Still, his heart did not have peace.
His life shows us a problem. Many people chase success, money, travel, or even church work. These things are not always bad. Still, they cannot fix a guilty heart. They cannot wash away sin. They cannot make us right with God.
When Paul met Jesus, he saw that his “good life” could not save him. He saw that all his awards were like trash next to Christ. So losing our rubbish means we stop trusting in our own goodness. We stop thinking, “I am fine because I am a nice person.” We learn to trust Jesus only.
Losing Our Rubbish: What It Really Means
In Philippians 3:8, Paul repeats his words. He says he lost all things and calls them rubbish. He does not say his hard work had no value at all. He says it had no power to save his soul.
So losing our rubbish means this: anything that takes the place of Jesus in our hearts must go. It might be our job, money, looks, or even how much we serve in church. When these things become our hope, they turn into idols. They try to sit in the seat where only Jesus should sit.
When we let go, we do not lose real treasure. We lose fake treasure. We drop things that could never save us, so we can hold on to the One who can. Jesus gives us His own goodness as a gift (2 Corinthians 5:21). He makes us clean. He fills the empty place in us that nothing else can fill.
As we learn losing our rubbish, we become free. We no longer work and work just to feel “good enough.” Instead, we rest in what Jesus has done. Then we serve God from love, not from fear.
What Is Rubbish in My Life?
For Paul, rubbish was his proud life as a Pharisee. For us, rubbish can look different. Some people live only for money. Some live only for fun. Some live only to look holy in front of others. Some hold on to hate and anger.
You can ask a simple question: “If I lost this one thing, would I feel like my life is over?” If the answer is yes, that thing might be rubbish in your heart. It might be sitting in the place where Christ should sit.
God does not show us our idols to crush us. He shows them to set us free. Jesus once asked a sick man, “Do you wish to get well?” (John 5:6). The man had been sick for 38 years. Jesus wanted him to think. “Do you want to stay stuck, or do you want change?”
Today Jesus asks us too. “Do you really want peace? Do you really want joy? Do you want Me more than your sin, pride, or hate?” If we say yes, it will mean losing our rubbish. But it also means gaining Christ, and He is better than anything we give up.
The Best Treasure of All
Paul calls knowing Christ a “surpassing value.” That means Jesus is worth more than everything else put together. He is not just a helper. He is our Savior, Friend, Lord, and King. He died for us. He rose again. He lives with us by His Spirit (Romans 8:9–11).
When Christ fills our hearts, other things lose their tight hold. We still work. We still have family. We still enjoy good gifts. But we do not look to them to give us worth. We already have worth in Christ.
So take time and talk to God. Tell Him what you cling to. Ask Him to help you let go. Ask Him to show you how good Jesus is. As you walk with Him, you will see why Paul said all else was rubbish. You will see that having Christ is better than having the whole world.
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