Do you remember having to run the mile in PE in high school? I hated when it was that time of year. I hated running and basically saw no reason for it. The only way I would willingly run was if someone was chasing me attmepting to do me harm. Yet, every year without fail, I was required to run the mile in a timed test for a grade. It was like fingernails on a chalkboard ot me.
I grew up with brothers and as a result, I’m very competitive. The only thing I hate worse than running is loosing. Because of my competitive nature, I didn’t dare want to be the last one in the pack when running the mile. I had a strategy. When we were practicing, I would watch to see who the fastest runner was in the class. Every year Ann Byrd would be at the head of the pack. Eventually, she would break away and be way ahead of the rest and score the fastest time of the bunch. My strategy was simple…line up beside Ann and try to stay as close to her as I could. She was my pace setter. I wouldn’t pay attention to the clock or the coach or anyone else. I would simply fix my eye on Ann and strive to stick as close to her as I could without dying. As a result, I generally finished well.
Philippians 3:10-14 says “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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.“
We must forget about what is behind us. It doesn’t matter. It is forgiven and washed away by the blood of Jesus. The enemy will try to take us back to our past, back to our sin and make us doubt our salavation and our usefulness in the Kingdom; however, the Word tells us clearly in Romans 10:9 if we confess with our mouths and believe in Jesus, the past is forgiven and forgotten and we should look forward. In fact, Paul says we should press forward toward the goal. The goal for believers is to build a relationship with Jesus and spend eternity with Him, taking as many people with us as we can.
Friends, Jesus is our pace setter. Fix your eyes upon Him. He is the author and perfecter of our faith [Hebrews 12:2]. We don’t need to focus on our circumstances or the things around us that could distract us from what the Lord is calling us to do. Focus on Him and where He is leading you and press into all He has for you to do. You will be victorious!