#Press On

 Phil 3:13
Brothers and sisters, 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 heavenward in Christ Jesus.


As I heard this verse in church this past Sunday I had been feeling very discouraged. The holidays are always stressful and as we start a new year and evaluate the past one I was feeling discouraged. This past year has been a difficult one; my children and I have dealt with a great deal of loss and change. We have dealt with death, illness, financial troubles, teenage rebellion and drug abuse just to name a few. I have come to realize through these trials God has refined His warriors.  He has pulled us through and now we press on.

My family and I have been engaged in a fierce spiritual battle. God has allowed these trials as tests. Some I have failed, some I have hopefully passed; from each of them I have learned and I press on. I've learned about fasting and prayer; using God's word as a weapon and trusting Him to provide when I give sacrificially. I've learned to offer everything up to Him. He will work all things out for the good of those who love Him...in His time. What does He require of us? press on

Sometimes to press on is to "be still." (Psalm 46:10)  To just keep grinding away and pray until something happens. To just keep doing the next "right" thing. Other times to press on is a call to action, to make changes that line up with His word and what He's put on your heart.  If He asks you to do something, if you feel convicted to make a change in your life to align your will with His own; He will make a way for you to do so. No matter what your action this pressing on must include prayer and time in His word.

1Cor 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

We will make mistakes, we will not be perfect, we will fall but our God who is faithful will be there to pick us up so that we may press on.  Seeking Him and His reassurance; the promises in His word will comfort us so that we may press on. He will place people in our lives to support, encourage, and pray for us so that we may press on. He will open doors of opportunity that we walk through in obedience so that we may press on.

 James 1:2
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience

These trials are our training. I am a runner. I have never run a marathon. If it was my goal to run a marathon it would require a great deal of training. There would be milestones of distance that I would reach before moving to the next phase of training. As I build my strength and test my body there would be injuries to overcome. I would have to make changes in my diet to accommodate the rigorous activity required of my body. Throughout the training and especially as I made it to that next longest distance there would be daily celebration. To attempt to run a marathon without training would be foolish. Our lives are like a marathon and God is the ultimate "personal trainer" so that our lives may bring Him glory.

Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

As I have prayed over my goals for the coming year and evaluated how far God has brought me from the past year, I am no longer discouraged but encouraged......full of faith and ready to press on. I can see the progress from the trials and proclaim that God is so very good! Some of these goals I may reach, some I may not but all will be an opportunity for growth; which happens to be the word God put on my heart for 2014.

This song by Mandisa says it even better than I can:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXxBqbTM-2U

So my prayer is this, that like a plant that has been placed a bit away from the sunlight, that I would grow toward it.....reaching and stretching towards Jesus, spreading roots that tap into His living water, sowing seeds of His word so that my life becomes a story of His glory and not my own. Empty me of myself and fill me up with you Lord. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I may have the strength and endurance to press on.

Of  course as soon as I finished this I accidentally deleted it, but not before "previewing" it. So I copied and pasted and I press on ;)