What’s holding you back? Could it be the fear of failing? Or failing again? Maybe you were serious about your walk with Christ and made progress…for a while. But then life got in the way, and you fell back into the same old habits. Now you are thinking, “What’s the use? I don’t want to fail again.” “I don’t want to make commitments I can’t keep.” “I don’t want to start something I can’t finish.” “I don’t want to get hurt in another relationship.” “I don’t want to disappoint God…again.”

I get it. Failure is hard, embarrassing, and discouraging. But the reality is that if you are following, you will fall. You will fail again. Perfection will not be experienced in this life. We are on a journey. We keep going. We fall down. We get up and press on. Here’s the apostle Paul’s encouragement.

Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul had plenty of past failures, and they didn’t stop when Jesus transformed his life on that road to Damascus. But Paul didn’t fear failure or let it hold him back. He chose to learn from yesterday’s mistakes and leave them behind. He kept his eyes on Jesus, who, Paul says, “has made me his own.” He kept “straining forward to what lies ahead.” He kept moving toward the goal of winning the prize.

Re-read Philippians 3:12-14. Let the words sink in. Failure is for the past. The prize lies ahead. Keep pressing on!

Father,
Thank you for making me your own through the work of Jesus. Help me move from past failures and the things that drag me down. Help me keep straining forward to the great things you have for me. Help me work toward the goal to win the prize. In Jesus’ name. Amen.