Philippians 3:14-15, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything, you think otherwise, God will reveal that to you.”
Paul had perseverance down pat. He has rightly been called a man of grit and was seasoned with maturity. There are times I have felt like giving up because of mistakes I had made or words I wish I would not have said. I have often had those wrestling thoughts. Not Paul. He relied on God to develop his weak points and personal limitations, to serve others better. I think Paul would offer his counsel to me in this way, “You need to do what I do. I forget what happened five years ago, or one month ago, or last week. We all have done things that we are ashamed of, especially me. Instead, grow in your knowledge of God. My goal is to look to the future, with Christ. That stops the confusion and feelings of being defeated, and it keeps me humble. You have made progress; now keep it going.”
There is a balance of faith, trust, and hope, in God’s call upon our lives and our response. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” When a farmer planted, if he looked back, the plow would veer off course. But if he looked forward, he was able to guide it in going straight. Paul was saying he had put his hand to the plow, and even though he was stuck in prison, he was pressing on to do what God had called him to do, no matter what the obstacles were. He kept looking forward to the goal of someday being with Christ for eternity and pursuing Christlikeness each day in the here and now, in consecrating himself to God.
Sometimes looking at our past successes keeps us from what God has for us in the future.
Here are two interesting statistics of predictions about the future that did not come true:
- The Beatles were rejected in 1962 by Decca Recording Company. They were told they didn’t like their sound and that guitar music was on the way out.
- A man named Ken Olson, in 1977, Chairman of Digital Equipment Co., said, “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” Jack Schofield, ‘Ken Olson Obituary’, The Guardian, Feb. 9, 2011.
We can all laugh at the absurdity and foolishness of those future predictions that did not come true. But we can put our confidence and trust in the Lord and can be confident of our future. God has plans to give you hope, to give me hope, and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). God’s plans never fail as Psalm 33:11 declares, “But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
I believe the lesson here for me is as if God is telling me, “Linda, keep your hand to the plow. Keep on keeping on and keep your eyes set on things above and on Me. Follow me. I am doing something in your life and am continuing to do so. You may wrestle with decisions but know this; I will be your strength. I am the great shepherd. I am your refuge, so you can live above your circumstances. Learn from Paul who modeled contentment despite his restrictions in living in prison. Therefore, you have safety in Me. Tell others about that.”
What is God doing in your life that you can share with someone to be a light of encouragement about pressing on? How have you had to persevere despite obstacles? The Message says Philippians 3:15-16 this way, “So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision – you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.”
Listen to Matt Maher Clean Heart (Live Studio) 2/17/21.