Pressing On {Philippians}

As I look through Philippians chapter 3 and then chapter 4 I have a very hard time picking and choosing verses to share about on the blog!! These 2 chapters are so packed full of great truths, wisdom and encouragement for all of us!!

If you have something from chapter 3 that I haven’t mentioned, please share in the comments!!

The other day I posted a video for the song, Knowing You. The verses that the song is based on are Philippians 3: 7-11 and these verses are so powerful! When I am reading, studying and meditating on Scripture, I try to remember to always pray and ask God to show me what HE would have me see.

For these verses, what continually jumps out at me is:

Do I consider everything a loss compared to knowing Him? Is He truly the greatest thing in my life, and do I show that in the way I live?

Now, on to one of my favorite passages in this little book!

“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 in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14.

I absolutely love this passage. I probably love it so much because it is a struggle for me. You see, I have a tendency to dwell. And generally, I’m not dwelling on the positive. I dwell over my past sins, past conversations, times I should have done something totally differently, parenting mistakes, on and on…you get the point.

This verse is SUCH an encouragement to me because it reminds me to STOP all that dwelling!! In fact, it uses the words “forgetting what is behind.” I have to press on! There is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Him! (Romans 8:1) So, why do I continually condemn myself? I cannot possibly be fulfilling God’s calling on my life if I’m dwelling on the past – I have to remember He is doing a NEW THING. All things are NEW in Christ. Praise God, He has and will continue to use my mistakes to teach me and grow me, but I can’t stay there. He loves me too much to leave me in the muck and mire.

Pressing on isn’t always easy…in fact, Paul uses the word “strain.” We have to work at it – for me, I have to work at dwelling on God, His Word and His truths and work at getting the “junk” out of there. You may have a different type of “straining” going on in your walk. But, nevertheless, we all have some pressing and straining to do!!

Praying that you can press on today, friends!!