As we continue through the book of Philippians, Paul has been showing us his goals in ministry. That is, his desire to identify with Christ. But it’s not only a desire for the power, but in the fellowship of his suffering as well.
Now, he wants to make something very clear. He’s not perfect yet.
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 NIV
Paul tells us two things that hasn’t happened yet. He hasn’t taken hold of it yet. And, he hasn’t yet arrived at the goal. He has to keep moving forward just like the rest of us.
What is that goal? It’s obvious from this verse that Paul doesn’t know the complete picture yet. He’s still hearing the step by step instructions from the Lord.
Right now, Paul’s desire is to find out why God chose him. What is the final destiny that awaits him at the end of his journey? That’s the big question that we all wrestle with.
We have to serve God with this understanding. We will not know the full scope of our ministry until we get the final picture at the end of our earthly lives.
We serve a God who requires us to operate in faith. That means we trust God, not knowing where the road will lead us. The Holy Spirit guides us one step at a time.
That’s not the way I would choose to go. I like having my whole route mapped out before I start on a road trip. But, I’ve learned that it’s not my will which takes priority. God is the one in control. He sets the agenda.
So, it’s up to me to follow the Lord’s leading, even when it doesn’t make sense to me. Sometimes it’s a struggle to keep up. At times it’s inconvenient. That’s not the issue. It’s about who has the final say in my direction. So, I follow in His footsteps.
Paul makes it clear that we’re being called heavenward. That’s an upward call. It’s like climbing a mountain. You know it will be a great view at the top. So, even though it’s tiring, you keep going.
It’s not always easy to press on. Sometimes it’s an effort just to put one foot in front of the other. As a hiker, I’ve learned to just keep moving forward.
There have been times when I was hiking, when because of injury or pain, I’ve felt like giving up. It’s in times like those that I had to keep telling myself, “As long as you keep taking each step, you’ll come out to the end of the trail.”
It’s the same thing in life. It’s usually not the big things that knock us down, but the continual monotony of our daily lives, day after day, week after week. It’s the constant grind that saps our strength and weakens our spirit.
In order to overcome, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We know that if we keep to His course for our lives, we’ll come out with His result. We’ll lay hold of the prize for which He has called us.
Don’t give up. Go to the Lord today and ask for His strength for the road ahead. Don’t live a day without allowing His renewing Spirit to work in your life.
Question: How well are you persevering at this point in your walk with God?
© 2023 Nick Zaccardi
The Spirit and the Word 