Press On

Frustrated? Tired? Ever just want to give up on your spiritual journey? You know it might be so much easier to just give in and conform to the patterns of the world. Life; our walk can be a real struggle, but what should we do. I say we have an answer in two words; press on.

I can remember watching a marathon on “Wide World of Sports” (which reveals a little about my age) and during this race all had finished except for one competitor. Finally, this competitor comes stumbling in the stadium completely spent, dangerously dehydrated and a little delirious. He falls down, but somehow picks himself up and presses on; just a little further. He finishes the race. I will always have that image with me as it was one of the most courageous acts I had ever witnessed.

That race can be an encouragement for us as we pursue holiness, as we continue on our spiritual journey. There will be times when it would be easier to stop; to give up. I have hit this point, the point of breaking, but suddenly by some means of grace I am uplifted. It may be during some beautiful sign of nature, a song, studying the Word, or a time of prayer, but suddenly I feel reenergized and emotions spill out; joy, tears, comfort. I get my second wind (for those runners out there) and I press on.

Paul shows us this in Philippians 3;

12Not 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. 13Brothers, 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, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

So whenever we get down, tired, overwhelmed; may we all by some means of grace press on, running toward the arms of Christ. Press on everyone!

Grace and Peace!