A Glory Seed Devotional
Reaching the goal…

A few of the reasons I love the scriptures and why they play such an important part in my life is because they not only connect me with God and his Son and my Savior but they encourage me through their honesty when life’s surprises seem to work against me. I must admit there are times when I’d rather they not be so honest for example in reading and applying today’s scriptures it would be great if Paul would have left out “running and struggling” and “I struggle for what is ahead.”

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. My friends, I don’t feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.” (Philippians 3:12–14, CEV)

I am not afraid of the “hard work” it takes when working toward a goal. Attaining goals would be a whole lot easier and more pleasant without struggles. But since life itself is inherent with built in struggles that is unrealistic. One of the major lessons I’ve gleaned from the scriptures is “when the going gets tough and struggling becomes rough we need to turn into the wind of the Holy Spirit instead of trying to be tough.” Experience has taught me by struggling into the wind of the Holy Spirit my weakness becomes the very thing needed to push me onward even though the circumstances remain.

According to Paul the goal he is “running and struggling” for is the “prize of being called to heaven” however is it really Paul’s goal? When we read “This is the prize that God offers,” could it be the ownership of the goal becomes twofold, both Paul’s and God’s goal at the same time? While I may be stretching it a bit I am going to believe the goal Paul and yours truly are running and struggling for has joint ownership. And I see my own personal struggling comes not from life (although there are many that I face) but from turning into the wind of the Holy Spirit as it pushes me onward to where God wants me to be.

Anticipate it! Experience it! Believe it! Be transformed by it!
Grace and PEACE, Amen!
Gary

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jesus said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” (John 8:12, CEV)

Note: Should you want to go back and review this Glory Seed or if you’d like to subscribe so you can receive them in your email you can do so by clicking on this link: http://gloryseeds.wordpress.com/.

Scriptures marked CEV, “Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.”