"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 towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14 [niv]
Paul the Apostle, writer of so much of the New Testament, could let the Church of Philippi know that he considered himself not yet ready to enter heaven !!!...where does that leave the rest of us ???...
You see, the key to understanding this passage of Scripture, is to see that...
(a) Paul had an acute awareness of his own shortcomings, ...
coupled with...
(b) A profound understanding of the neccessity of his keeping the balance between the ...'Ideal and the actual', ...regarding his personal walk with God.
This Balance being kept, helped Paul avoid the temptation to become depressed concerning his situation...or too elated and 'triumphalist'...and it enabled him to focus his aspirations on the Call of God on his life.....
[1] He forgot PAST FAILURES AND CONCERNS...
[2] He gave full and sole attention to FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND GOALS...
[3] He resolved to PRESS ON TOWARDS HEAVEN IN THE PURPOSE AND DESTINY OF GOD FOR HIS LIFE...
MAY THE LORD, BY HIS GRACE ENABLE US ALL TO DO THE SAME. ....
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU.