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Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Pressing On

“. . . But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14)

How are you faring since the start of this new year? Having reached the halfway mark is an excellent time to evaluate your spiritual life and how you’ve handled day-to-day monotonous activities. Have you stood firm in the goals you set for this year?

Regrets can be crippling, even those from only today. Can you imagine what a lifetime of regrets can do to your spiritual walk? Paul learned the secret of forgetting the past even though it stayed in his memory. We know this because, at times, he referred to God’s grace and mercy that saved him from who he once was. His “forgetting” was a choice to not dwell on the past; instead, using it to testify how God changed his life. Paul chose to focus on who he became in Christ and the glorious life that awaited after finishing life’s race. As he strived for perfection to be like Jesus, he kept pressing on until the day he entered the realm of glory, home with his Lord.

Paul and his fellow workers could encourage others to pattern their lives after them because they lived like Jesus (v. 17). We would do well to heed his appeal. As we run this race of life, many distractions will vie for our attention, but like Paul, choose to let go of past hurts and failures; stay focused. Keep your eyes on Jesus, persevering for the prize that awaits at the finish line: Home with the Lord. 


2 comments:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.