Always Forward, Never Backward

Always Forward, Never Backward

Philippians 3:12-14

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.

With the election being a concern to the public, there is a lesson that can be taken from the results. Whether or not your candidate won the election, the majority of the American people have made it known that they want something different. People want a change from the status quo of policy and politicians. The concept of change is the lesson we should focus on at this time. For better or for worse, we must put the past behind us and move forward.

As Paul writes to encourage the church at Philippi, he admits that he had not “arrived” spiritually. He inspires these people to press on in their efforts to grow closer to Christ and spread his message to others as well. I love how Paul always makes his comparisons to Christ and not other men. If we make Christ our standard of excellence it puts perspective on how far we have to go to achieve true righteousness. Paul encourages us to leave behind our past and look toward the future. Paul could have let his past as a prosecutor of Christians end his ministry if he was not able to accept the forgiveness of God and move forward. Paul's story should give us hope that no matter what we have done, God’s grace is boundless and reaches to the most “deplorable” of sinners. Paul’s change came from recognizing his eternal purpose and looking beyond his past.

For those who have a personal relationship with Christ, it is our duty to look past whatever the results of this election hold and recognize the eternal purpose outlined in God’s word. Change does not start with the power of the presidency, but the purpose of the citizen. Find your purpose in things of eternal value and share them with your family and those around you. Get involved in your community and the local church to create change for the better! Always forward, never backward, be the change.