Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
– Phil 3:12-14
If the apostle Paul was not yet perfect, how much more should we guard against the illusion of our own maturity? We often fall into the trap of spiritual contentment and deciding we have grown “enough.” But to be content with our current level of spiritual maturity is to stop growing altogether.
To pursue Christ wholeheartedly means making Him the sun around which every other part of our life orbits. It requires a deliberate “forgetting” of what lies behind—both our past failures that weigh us down and our past successes that make us complacent. We often find ourselves distracted by secondary priorities, scattering our energy across a dozen different goals. But Paul calls us to “one thing.” Let us, then, run with intensity, reorienting our life toward the “upward call.” Let us “make it our own” precisely because He has already made us His own.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I have been complacent, thinking I have grown enough in my faith. Give me the strength to strain forward and to pursue You with everything I am. Amen.
Meditation
In what areas of your spiritual life have you become “comfortable,” and how might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to “press on” toward the upward call of God?