Know What Counts—and What Doesn’t

Every day when you wake up, you need to remind yourself of what counts and what doesn’t count. Don’t be distracted by things that are insignificant and petty.

Why is it important to remind yourself of what matters? It’s easy to lose your joy over some small thing. In fact, it’s usually the small irritations—not the big issues—that cause you to lose your happiness. Somebody cuts you off when you’re trying to make a turn, and you lose your happiness. The clothes you put on don’t fit anymore, and you lose your happiness. It’s the little things that sometimes affect people the most, and yet they don’t really matter.

Paul said in Philippians 3:7, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done” (NLT).

What was the most important thing in your life before you met Jesus Christ? Was it your career? Making money? Maybe it was getting a date or being popular. 

Paul said all those things are “worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8 NLT). 

Here’s a good question to ask when you’re distracted by worthless things: How much will this matter in 100 years? Many things won’t even matter tomorrow, much less for eternity. All the things you used to care about don’t even compare to the joy that comes from having a relationship with Jesus. 

When you become a Christian, Jesus changes your values. You no longer want to do the things you used to do. He changes your “wants.” 

When God comes into your life, you learn the joy of knowing Jesus. And that’s what really counts.