However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24 NIV
As we say goodbye to 2015, and another year in the journey of life has passed, I’m challenged by this verse. Did I run the race and complete the task the Lord gave me to do? Was that my only aim or did I get caught up in other pursuits? Paul had one desire, one goal, to finish the task the Lord had given him. Is that my only desire? Have I emptied myself for Christ as He emptied Himself for me?
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. Philippians 3:8 NLT
There is absolutely nothing I’ve experienced or obtained in the past that could ever compare with knowing Jesus! My relationship with Him satisfies me far more than anything else ever will! As I move forward into 2016, I would be foolish to hold onto anything that pulls me away from Him. I would be wise to focus only on those things that bring me closer to Him!
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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. Philippians 3:10-14 NIV
Knowing Christ and pursuing Him alone is the ultimate goal. Just like Paul fell short, so do we. Don’t waste time beating yourself up over the times you’ve missed the mark, rather, press on toward the goal. Decide now that in the coming year you will pursue God with all your strength. Take some time as you start the new year to identify those things in your life that are distracting you from the goal and remove them. Then, like Paul, forget what is behind, let 2016 be a fresh start, and strain toward what is ahead, keeping your eyes on the prize.