It’s time for new beginnings! It’s time for a fresh start! It’s time to make some resolutions!
These are often statements that are made by most people at the beginning of a new year, and we as Christ followers are not really all that different! Who wants to remain the same as before? I know I don’t, because I want to continue to grow in the Lord, as well as put off some of those things that have held me down from being all He wants me to be.
The problem for me is that I start out great with lots of enthusiasm and can-do attitude only to struggle just a bit as failings and difficulties from the past create a “drag” on the vision for the future! I’m probably not alone. I have to remind myself of Paul’s words to the Philippians each time those thoughts come into my mind:
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14
In these three short verses, Paul encourages us to do three things.
Forgetting what is behind is the first one. It seems that the more difficult a situation is, the harder it is to “forget!” I believe that Paul wasn’t saying we wouldn’t remember but rather those things would not be enough to hold us back from moving forward.
The next thing he said was he would “strain toward” what is ahead. (Lucy, You’ve got some strainin’ to do!) Yes, there are times serving God, and even moving forward in life takes some “straining!”
Lastly, he said he would “press on toward the goal to win the prize.” We need to remember also that we will be rewarded one day. We must keep our eyes focused on the prize.
So let’s move forward! Let’s dream dreams! Go Dawgs!