Yes, it's been a while but I finally found something to talk about. :)
"I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his." -Philippians 3:12
In this verse, Paul, an apostle for Jesus, is confessing to the church in Ephesus that he is no where near perfect. He is just an average human being who makes mistakes but is still striving to be like Christ. In previous verses of this chapter he talks about the life he led before he came to know Christ. Paul was a Pharisee. He went around hurting the church, threatening to kill all of the followers of Jesus. He thought he was doing the right thing and he felt very strong about his beliefs and actions because of his strict view of the law. However, he then goes on to say that he realized that none of that was worth anything because of Christ. Paul says in Philippians 3:8, "Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash."
Here's a man that didn't know Christ. Infact, he spent his life persecuting Christ's followers. He held onto his beliefs firmly and then BAM! Christ's comes into his life and he is forever changed. He becomes this amazing person who loves God with all his heart. He spreads God's word and is able to help others come to know Christ. You would think this story would end happily.
However, all of a sudden, Paul finds himself behind bars for trying to be a Light for Christ in a world full of darkness. That sounds pretty backwards! Yet, Paul doesn't show one bit of anger as he writes to his friends in Ephesus, thanking them for their support and encouraging them to keep following Christ. He's still grounded in God and striving to be like Him even after being thrown in prison for it. That's dedication!
Paul knows that God is not finished with him yet. He knows that he has not yet achieved to be the man he is meant to be. Infact, Paul continues in Philippians 3:13-14: "Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead. I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above."
This is something I find myself reflecting on. I tend to find the smallest things in life that keep me from moving onward to the person God has meant for me to be. Yet, Paul was thrown in PRISON and he still didn't give up trying to reach the goal Christ had set out for him.
I realize that a lot of my VERY FEW posts have been about the future God has in store for me. I guess it's just something that goes through your mind a lot when you're a senior in high school. With that being said, I know that I'm going to find a whole different set of obstacles when I get to college. I have no idea what those obstacles are going to be but I know they will be there. The important thing is to not give up and to keep striving to be the person I'm meant to be.
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