Tag Archives: Philippians 3:14

Hold on!

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A constant theme in any endeavor is that of persisting and holding on to your goal. Whether you’re seeking a college degree, a job promotion, expanded business goals, raising children, or keeping your faith in a chaotic and increasingly faithless world, persistence is a key element in that process. We think of Winston Churchill’s famous quote, “Never, never give up!”  We’re reminded of Thomas Edison who made 1,000 attempts before succeeding in developing a working electric light bulb.  When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”  Babe Ruth became famous for his 714 home runs despite the 1,330 times he struck out at the plate. He remarked that each strike out led him closer to his next home run. Vince Lombardi wrote, “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.”

 

That’s good advice for each of us too. Someone wrote, “I can’t brag about my love for God because I fail him daily. But I can brag about God’s love for me because it never fails!” We fail often in demonstrating perfect love, but we keep on loving. Our faith is too often betrayed by our thoughts and actions, but we keep on believing!

 

In God’s love letter to us (the bible) we are continually reminded to “Be Strong.” Knowing that we humans have a tendency toward fear, he reminds us 365 times, “Be not afraid!” Repeatedly, we’re told to “encourage one another.” I’m convinced this is one of the primary reasons God left us on earth after we were saved….to encourage one another.

 

These are the messages of 2 Thessalonians 2. Paul warns believers against falling for the false teachings that strayed from biblical truth. “Stand firm and hold on to the teachings we passed on to you. Encourage one another.”

 

It’s such a vital message to each of us and others on our path. But may I ask you, “What are you doing to hold on to your faith?” What habits are becoming increasingly ingrained into the fabric of your daily life?

– My mom starts with an affirmation prayer to God: “THIS is the day you have made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!” Even if it’s a terrible, no good, horrible Monday, I will rejoice in my faithful God who never ever abandons me.

– We could start by humbly confessing our weakness and ask for an increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives. Have you ever invited God to purposefully interrupt your scheduled plans for the day? This hard step makes us available to the opportunities he wants us to seize.

– Devote your daily transition times to remembering God’s goodness. Those are the moments between one activity and another: between getting up and going to work, between chores or appointments, or the travel time between one place and another. Using the multiple transition times in your day keeps your relationship with God alive and practical.

– A dear friend of mine keeps a Thankfulness Journal, recording every day the things for which she is grateful, despite the pain and suffering that also come her way.

– Taking time to bow your head before each meal and acknowledge God’s goodness is a way of holding onto your faith.  My friend Willy Neudahl taught me to invite our waitress when they bring the food: “We’re going to give thanks for our meal. Is there anything we can pray specifically for you?” Whether or not they accept, you can pause and give thanks for their service and ask God’s leading and blessing in their life.

 

Hold on. Press on. Never give  up. It’s not the number of times we fall but the number of times we get back up and turn again to Jesus that keeps us on the right path.

 

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

 

Happiness is reaching for the prize

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I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

 

Some old carousels had special rings suspended away from the carousel platform. If you leaned out from your perch and really strained while going round and round, you might have grasped a ring. Sometimes you’d reach but miss. Sometimes you’d actually touch the ring but fail to take it. But you kept reaching and straining, focused intently on getting that prize. As you did this, you might have noticed others simply sitting back and enjoying the ride. You think to yourself, maybe that’s what I should do, just let life take me round and round, enjoying the music and the dazzling lights. But your eye was on the rings. Grabbing the iron ring would give you a sense of accomplishment but there was no real prize associated with it. But taking the brass ring gave you a special prize, usually another ride on the carousel.

 

Does life sometimes seem like one endless merry-go-round, spinning round in the delirium of lights, music, and motion? Have you found yourself straining to reach some prize only to fail to grasp it firmly? Or maybe you’ve found the temporary thrill of grasping so many unfulfilling iron rings.

 

Perhaps our faith journey is like a carousel ride. Only sometimes it’s more like we are running the opposite direction the carousel is going, still trying to reach the prize. After a while we may be tempted to forget the prize and just sit back on the painted horses and simply enjoy the ride or endure its passing. But our real happiness is found in continually reaching for the prize. Paul counsels us about this in Philippians 3:

 

Paul knew what his real goal was and kept focused on it. Too much focus on life’s painted horses and dazzling lights lulls us into a sleepy disoriented slumber. Fixing our eyes on Jesus even in the mundane things of life keeps us focused on what truly satisfies and our purpose for being.

 

Paul kept no confidence in the flesh, no confidence in abilities or traditions, past achievements, or awards. He considered all this as a loss (actually garbage) compared to knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus was his only confidence. When you’ve reached and strained to grasp the brass ring, you realize that Jesus has already taken hold of it for you. And yet, we need to continue pressing on, reaching, persevering, really straining to reach the prize.

 

It might be okay on a merry-go-round to just sit back and enjoy the ride. After all, it is merely a temporary diversion. But on life’s real carousel we only go around once and we ought to orient our efforts on straining and pressing on to reach the prize that has already been won for us. Keep your eye on the prize and the one who has already won it for you.

 

 

Put on and press on

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Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11

 

I Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

 

Many images are conveyed concerning our life journey. One is the image of standing firm, protected by God’s equipping armor. Another is one of throwing off everything that hinders us and running a race with perseverance, of pressing on to win the prize. Yet another is being still, laying down in green pastures.  Which is it? Stand firm, run the race, or lie down in peace?

 

The answer is all of the above. God always has our very best interest at heart, protecting us from evil and providing us with His grace. Because we so easily come to think of this life as our only life, He reminds us that we are strangers in a foreign land, and that we are in a daily battle against evil which wars against us in the spiritual realms and sometimes in the physical realm too.

 

And so we are commanded to put on His protective armor that equips us for the battle. His belt of truth secures us. His breastplate of righteousness guards our heart.  His gospel of peace fits our feet with readiness and help us to stand firm. Our faith in Him shields us from fiery arrows that seek to wound and kill us. His helmet of salvation protect us from being taken by the evil one. The Sword of His Spirit is double-edged. It is the Word of God that protects us and attacks falsehood with the truth of God. With our spiritual armor on, our job is to stand firm, unwavering in faith, fully persuaded that God is able to fight the battle and win the war.

 

The thing about spiritual armor is that is not like traditional battle armor that we’ve come to know. It is light and agile. It doesn’t entangle us when we need to move. And so pressing on while running the race is another image of our journey with God. Running requires effort and perseverance. If you are running to win a race and the prize it offers, you can’t be encumbered by things that entangle you. You need to be free to run and keep on running. A successful runner doesn’t look behind. The spiritual runner keeps her eyes focused ahead, fixed on Jesus, unwavering in her faith that she will attain the prize and that it will indeed be worth the effort and pain endured in the race.

 

As a sheep depends on the good shepherd for green pastures, press on in your dependence on God and in your humility. You can’t fight and run in your own power. Press on by resting in the strength of God, not your own. Press on while resting in the green pastures, listening to and obeying the shepherd’s voice.

 

 

How determined are you to win your race?

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Paul writes, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) It is our calling too, you and me.  I don’t know about you but a lot of the time that race seems like a marathon or a triathlon. Ironically, those human challenges, while impossible for me in my condition, are minor endeavors compared to the race of life that you can and must run; it is much longer and sometimes more grueling. It’s a race where I’ve fallen down numerous times. You too? It can be easy to get discouraged in those times. The feeling of giving up is strong. But we can’t give up. We have to press on. We have to get up and keep on running.

 

Why? First, we are commanded. The only thing we are told to do once we put on the armor of God is to stand and stay standing, praying at all times in all things. You might not be the strongest warrior, the fastest runner, the most talented at anything, but you can stand. The promise of God attests to it.

 

Second, it’s worth it. There is a reward at the end of the race. Matthew writes, “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22 

 

Never give up. Keep running your race. Jesus gave you His Spirit to make sure you can endure! Trust Him.