Philippians: 14 Days of Hope and EncouragementSample

I’m sometimes obsessed with examining my weaknesses and how far I fall short in my devotion to Christ, and I end up feeling like a failure. Like Paul, I want to know Christ and experience His power in my life (v. 10), but I often stumble because I concentrate on my own efforts.

The Apostle Paul’s deepest desire was to know Christ fully: to become like Him in his willingness to die and experience the power that raised Jesus from the dead. He knew he hadn’t achieved that kind of maturity, but he continually pressed toward that goal. Forgetting past victories and defeats, he focused on obedience and the eternity he’d soon spend with Christ.

Paul didn’t worry about results. He moved forward in a single-minded pursuit of Christ. He fastened his gaze on the future rather than obsessing over his abilities.

Dwelling on my failures or what appears to be a lack of progress discourages me. I start fretting about what I’m not instead of following Jesus. When I concentrate on Christ and His Spirit in me, His power works through me and enables me to unite with Him.

Paul encourages us to:

Keep pressing on.

Continue on today, even if you messed up yesterday.

Pursue Christ and take the next right step, even if your last step was off track.

Look forward.

Lock your eyes on Jesus.

Fall a hundred times, get up, and follow again no matter how often it is necessary.

Remain laser-focused on Jesus Christ, not your weaknesses or strengths. Remember His call to greater intimacy, relinquish the past, and take the next step. Ultimately we can rest in the knowledge that we will experience the joy of a deeper relationship with Christ and spending eternity with Him.

~Susan Aken

Writer, Blogger