I’ve often heard professional athletes say their favorite Bible verse is Philippians Paul had died to himself and his own abilities. He’s the one who wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians Rather than merely empowering us to achieve an unexpected victory, God provides the strength to live in peace and contentment whether we win or lose. When we surrender our passions and desires to God, we neither fear when all hope seems lost nor exalt ourselves when we win.Also worth noting is verse 14. Right after acknowledging his total dependence on God, Paul gave a grateful nod to the Philippians by writing, “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.”Longing to Belong: Discovering the Joy of Acceptance is now available for purchase on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Booksamillion.com and Christianbook.com. It’s also available for download to your Kindle or from the Apple store for your iBooks app. Or visit my website to purchase a copy at shawnamariebryant.comThis week’s scripture: Philippians