Straining Toward

 

Straining Toward

Whether it has been accolades heaped upon us from our earthly achievements, so-called spiritual attainments, or a lifetime of hurts, disappointments and/or abuse, since we are now in Christ and Christ is in us through our faith in Him, let us take hold of God's righteousness, love and care.  This with a pro-active attitude of...

"forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" (Philippians 3:13).

I don't mean we sweep everything under the carpet!  Much of an abusive past does need to be dealt with and overcome, often on a daily basis, for years.  My angle here is rather that we forget in such a way that we can count our achievements as loss because we have something better -

"to win the prize for which God calls [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus 

(Philippians 3:14).

For the Philippians, they were enduring persecution and Paul takes note of it, giving an antidote so to speak, to overcome the fear and pain.

For us nowadays, the sorrows, griefs, PTSD from abuse or traumatic experiences and so on, if we have managed to get ourselves out of such situations, let it all NOT torture our minds, rather, instead, fill our minds with holding on to Christ and to reach for what we have in Him.  Doing so is ever so helpful in being able to 'forget' enough what had been 'behind' in our life up until now, allowing ourself to then keep our eyes and thoughts on the goal ahead; in fact, to strain toward this goal.

I like the phrase, "strain toward".  Our God knows our human-ness and that we have difficulties in life and that they are hard and take effort to overcome.

On the second hand, to 'strain toward' shows pro-active action.  We stir ourselves to  move, to press on, pressing on toward what Christ Jesus has as a 'prize' for us.

He calls us heavenward for it.  This encourages us to untangle and disengage ourselves from that which is earthly business to reach heavenward towards God and His business.

Jesus, friend unfailing, how dear you are to me.  Thank You for Your tender loving care that always reaches out to me.  Thank You for this reminder in Your word to forget what is behind and instead to strain toward You and the prize You have waiting for me in heaven.  Thank You for bringing my thoughts to be less encumbered with earthly things.  No doubt we are still needing to live here and do what we need to do but help me to pro-actively continute to take hold of You, my Savior and Lord.

In Your name, Lord Jesus, I give You thanks.

                                                   ~ERC  September 2023~

Based on Philippians 3:12-14 NIV.

Sing, I Press On Toward the Goal, along with Jason Silver Sings Scripture.