I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14
We leave behind our old lives and are entering to our new lives. All of us will be embarking on another journey and to some, such journey will be a new experience and a journey into the unknown. This sort of encounter is liken to one attempting to drive in a foreign territory and find himself in unfamiliar surrounding. Indeed, we do not know what lies ahead; the road can be treacherous, either steep or happens to have a sharp curve round the corner, or bumpy with a lot of potholes and is accident-prone.
But Christians with God’s leading will not be daunted and anxious because we can claim His promise, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Even though we still do not know the way and what will happen next, we know for sure the person who leads us and will be helping us if we stumble. He is God, our provider!
What must we do then in order to live a fruitful and purposeful life? First and foremost, we need to know what we are aiming for and set our priority right; embarking on a journey without knowing the final destination is like a rudderless ship in the middle of the ocean, drifting aimlessly and is at the mercy of the wave and tide. In perspective, one who is without any principle in life will be easily influenced by the pattern of the world, values of which are contrary to God’s way.
Secondly, once we have set our goals, we ought to know how to reach there. However, a lot of people will do the opposite; they do not know what is their final destination and whatever they plan for will go to waste because of a lack of pre-set objective in life. Thirdly, one who is morally excellent will invariably have a lot of success in life. As a result, it is important to be virtuous by having such attributes as trustworthiness, faithfulness and humility.
Fourthly, seek God’s leading. Just like the Israelites who had the pillars of cloud and fire as well as the ark of covenant to lead them, we Christians have the word of God as the lamp to light our path. The more we spend time with God in prayer and personal devotion, the clearer we see the path leading towards spiritual maturity. Fifthly, be patient and persevere, never stop trying but press on towards the finishing line. Let’s forget about the past and look towards the future. Whatever we think and say, it should be with the future in mind.
Pray ye therefore for God’s blessing to be upon each and everyone. Indeed, the best is yet to come and this new year will be the year God makes us fulfill our fullest potential.