Looking at our circumstances, things seem impossible. That's kind of how it felt for Mary when she heard she would be the mother of the Messiah! Looking at some "Divine Birth Announcements" in Luke 1:26-38, we see Gabriel telling Mary that she will have a Son - God the Son! Mary is troubled and wondering how this is possible! But Gabriel assures her it is God's grace, promise, and power at work.

What's your net worth? To determine it, you take the things you own (assets) and subtract the things you owe (liabilities). But is this really the best way to account for life? Paul encourages the Philippians to think differently. He tells them to count everything a loss compared to Christ. The gospel completely revises the way we account for our lives.

Joy thrives with a stable foundation. When we try to find joy in unstable things like health, money, or works, those things crumble, and our "joy" comes crashing down with it. Paul encourages us to rejoice in the Lord. His finished work on the cross, paired with our secure position in Him, gives the believer a solid foundation for joy. Find unshakable joy in your position in Christ.

There's a sense of honor when we meet our heroes. However, we often set our affection on the wrong heroes. Paul encourages the Philippian church to honor a real-life hero: Epaphroditus. He is to be honored for risking his life for the cause of Christ. While we as Christians must all live this way, when we see those who have lived this way, we are to honor them and aspire to follow in their steps.

"Well, everyone else was doing it!" Obviously, it's not a valid excuse, and yet Christians can live as if it is. We get comfortable with things simply because other Christians do them too.  Paul encourages the Philippians to notice Timothy, a man who serves Christ above all. Rather than imitating the crowd, we are to follow those who serve Christ above all.

The world is a dark place. The darkness of evil and sin surrounds us. As believers, we are called to shine as lights in that darkness. While we think of "big things" that change the world, Paul turns our focus to "little things." God works in us to please Him, so we live out our obedience to Him in the details - like not complaining. This helps us follow Jesus and find joy in serving God.