I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14
When you accepted Christ, you became somebody with significance. However, if you don’t know that and you’re still seeking a position of prominence independent of God’s purpose, you have missed the mark. Your name may be up in lights today, but years from now people may not remember your name. The apostle Paul was quite a man in his day and age, but he said that his true claim to fame was only that he was a bondservant of Jesus Christ.
People also become distracted from their purpose when they spend their lives living for other people. People are very important to God—we are to serve, love, and minister to people. But pleasing God is more important than pleasing men. God wants us to live for Him and His glory, and to do that we sometimes have to go against what other people want. When it comes to fulfilling our calling, what matters most is what God wants us to do.
The past can be yet another distraction from moving forward in God’s purpose. Paul said that the one thing he does is forget what lies behind him—the past—and reach forward to what lies ahead. He reaches toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We all have regrets, but Paul said we’re not to allow our yesterdays to determine our tomorrows.
Reach out for the prize of that upward call. It’s yours.
