"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14 NIV
Like thousands of other people in the United States today, I will have my eyes fixed on the Boston Marathon - and especially on American runner Des Linden to see if she has what it takes to win again. As you may recall, Des took first place in the women’s 2018 race by prevailing over the brutal conditions that caused many other runners to drop out. Of her upcoming seventh Boston Marathon and the determination it takes to win, this runner known for her grit said, "We all go through ups and downs. What’s important is how you handle the setbacks. Particularly today, in an age of instant gratification, it’s easy to forget that success actually takes years. A lot of people will see last year’s win, but what they don’t realize is that it’s 30 years in the making. It was my sixth time running Boston. It takes years to become an ‘overnight success’ and it’s just showing up day after day and putting in the work.”
And you know, this unwillingness to give up no matter how long it takes to reach the finish line is the same type of attitude you and I need to fulfill the calling God has placed on our lives. Paul completely understood this when he said, "I press on..." You see, to press on means to continue doing something in a determined way despite any problems one might encounter. And as the Bible tells us, Paul encountered many problems, including being shipwrecked, imprisoned, persecuted, beaten, flogged, and left for dead. But he never let that stop him from pursuing the job the Lord had called him to. In fact, only death stopped him from preaching the gospel and converting the lost.
And this should be the same attitude you and I embrace my friend - determined to day after day fulfill the work God has called us to do despite the obstacles we might encounter. And you can be sure it won't be an easy task. God never promised it would. But He did promise following Him would be worth it. And so for that, may each one of us make the decision to "press on."
Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that fulfilling our calling requires a lifetime of effort and a determination to not back down or bow out no matter what obstacles we might face. Help us to be develop a bulldog attitude to "press on" in the most brutal of conditions. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
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