BIBLE PASSAGE:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and
participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so,
somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have
already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press
on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers
and sisters, 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 3:10-13)
MEDITATION:
Have you ever thought about how much more you would enjoy living
if you had a meaningful road map of where you are going? We are told
that everyone should establish goals for themselves. Some psychiatrists
claim that setting goals is good for our overall mental health…and you
know what, they might be right.
Whenever we are not striving to achieve something, our minds can go into
idle mode and we start finding fault with ourselves and the things or people
around us. We face the reality that we are not living in ideal circumstances
and it can create a restlessness in us that leads to frustration and possibly
depression.
Most of us either consciously or subconsciously set short-term goals, but
what is our ultimate long-term goal? In other words when we reach the
end of our life on earth, will we feel that we have achieved our eternal
goal?
When Paul had his encounter with the Lord, his entire life changed.
Instead of having a misguided goal of persecuting Christians, he was
now focused on completing the work God had called him to do. Paul
had a new goal that would lead him in the opposite direction from his
previous one.
Even though it required a reversal of his thoughts, habits, and pursuit,
Paul was committed to being diligent in pursuing and achieving this
new ‘God-given’ goal. He admitted that he had not fully achieved his
new goal yet, but his life was dedicated to pursuing it.
Paul did something that many of us can’t do very well; he never allowed
his ‘tainted’ past to prevent him from moving forward toward the ultimate
‘untainted’ new goal he had been given. Paul seemed to realize that looking
back on his failures and mistakes would clutter his mind and discourage or
distract him from fully committing to achieving what God called him to do.
It’s a good lesson for us, isn’t it? From Paul’s example, we should learn that
looking back and recalling our failures, mistakes, and missed opportunities
is a detriment to fulfilling God’s will for our lives. Instead, we should commit
to making better use of our time in the future, and refocus our attention from
sinfulness or idleness, to pursuing the righteous goals God has for us.
When we spend time reading the Bible (God’s love letters and instructions to
us), we will see how God transformed some who made enormous and sinful
mistakes, into productive people for achieving His purposes. He can do the
same with us, can’t He?
In fact, when we receive His gift of salvation, He will begin a transformation
process (called ‘sanctification’) that purges us of our unrighteousness and fills
the void with righteousness. Why would He do that? Because He is aware of
the potential and capabilities He included when He created us.
Sanctifying us opens the door to our potential, activates our capabilities, and
fulfills what God wants us to do as adopted members of His family (and part
of His ministry team). It may sound a little scary, but when we follow His will
for our lives, we will discover a new and exciting purpose for living that is full
of rewards and His blessings!
ACTION:
Questions to consider:
– What is God’s ‘calling’ for me?
– Am I diligently striving to achieve the goals He established for me?
– Am I struggling with knowing what He has called me to do?
– Do I know which spiritual gift He has given me
to use for fulfilling His purpose for me?
If any of these questions describe us, then we don’t have to remain in
a confused state of mind. We need to pray for the Lord to show us our
spiritual gift, be willing to commit to His purpose for us, and pursue a
new and rewarding experience that can only be found in following His
will for us.
When we do that, we will be on the road that pleases Him and rewards
us with His prize for those who have ‘fought the good fight, kept the faith
and finished the race’. Will it require a substantial change in our thoughts,
habits, words and actions? Of course it will! Will it be worth it for us to
make the changes? It depends on where we want to spend eternity.
Can we expect to have help? Yes, God has promised to ‘never leave
or forsake us’! He wouldn’t call us for a purpose without equipping
us and helping us succeed, even though we may have some personal
doubts of how much we think we can accomplish.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I realize that the earthly goals I create for
myself, will never bring the satisfaction I desire. However, I
believe that Your goals for my life will give me a peace and joy
that I can’t find anywhere else. Help me to understand Your
purpose for me, and teach me how to realign myself so I can
pursue and achieve Your goal for my life. Help me to embrace
Your sanctification, and create in me a new desire for striving
to achieve the things You want me to do. Renew my heart so I
will have a new and deeper love and concern for others.”
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