“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 onward toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14

Straining…

Sweet friend, I don’t know about you, but I tend to avoid things that involve the word straining.

For example, after all of the holiday goodies I’ve eaten the past two weeks, I’m straining to fasten my skinny jeans. Honestly, I’m straining the definition of “skinny” by even wearing those jeans right now.

But…like Paul instructs…I’m going to forget the carbs and calories that lie behind me and strain forward to the point of this devotion:

To what lies ahead…

What does lie ahead?

If you’ve accepted God’s gift of salvation, given through the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then what lies ahead is:

• hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)
• perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3)
• firm steps (Psalm 37:23-24)
• rest (Matthew 11:28-29)
• healing (1 Peter 2:24)
• wisdom (James 1:5)
• love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22)
• and so much more…

Dear heart, we forget what lies behind so we will have more energy to strain forward to what lies ahead and in Christ Jesus, oh what lies ahead!

Straining – strenuously extending effort – may not be fun; it may even be downright uncomfortable at times, but beloved, in Christ Jesus, straining forward to what lies ahead is always, always worth it.

Praise God the best is still ahead! Thank you Jesus for the promise of goodness today and tomorrow and forevermore!