Philippians 3:12-13 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.[13] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

Paul knows he's not perfect and he knows his need for growth and I can agree that if Paul is not perfect, then I am so far from it it's not even funny. I need growth and with growth comes times that will stretch you. Times that involve sacrifice. Times that will call you to put aside your comforts and step into situation where you're outside of your realm. But that being laid aside, I press on that I may lay hold of the perfect and complete resurrection that is our goal. That is the prize that we lay our eyes on, to be resurrected with Christ and to spend an eternity with God. It's easy for me to get stuck on certain things and allow my mind to dwell on failures and sometimes it hinders me. But Paul know that he has not attained perfection, knowing that he is going to slip up and make mistakes, he doesn't look back on them but what he does is looks forward. Not only on the mistakes, but also those things that he had to sacrifice. We are not to look upon what we have sacrificed because in the end it's not our sacrifices that bring us under the grace of God, but it's the sacrifice that Christ made on the Cross that brings us into the grace of God. Paul looks toward the things that the Lord has placed in front of him this day, and is faithful in his ministry that is in front of him, looking even beyond that to Christ Jesus our Savior for motivation, for comfort, peace and strength. To give him the will to continue on in the race.


Application: I know I can get stuck on things that I've sacrificed pulling my attention away from what the Lord has placed in front of me so in those times where I get distracted either with things that I want , or if I get distracted with my shortcomings, I will write it down and fix my eyes on Jesus and His sacrifice.

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