Thursday, July 29: Keep on keeping on!

Listening to God is such an important aspect of our lives, but putting those instructions to work defines our lives. One of the greatest difficulties of being a Christian is to keep that walk pointed toward Jesus and never to look back. Paul did an amazing job, having turned away from persecuting early Christians; he stayed the course, though in turn, Paul was persecuted more than any other Christian. Much of his focus stemmed from his past:


12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.   
 1 Timothy 1:12-15

Paul realized that if God did nothing more for him than give him eternal salvation, it was much more than Paul deserved. He walked in that grace and mercy. Grace is getting something you don’t deserve, while mercy is not getting what you do deserve. We don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, yet He gives it if we ask Him. We deserve death as payment for those sins, yet He gives us abundant life.


Have you known anyone who seemed to brag about their sin when giving their testimony? “I was really bad! Let me tell you the horrible things I did before I became a Christian!” That’s not the heart that Paul had in telling us about his past. Paul’s past broke him and every time he thought about it, the past broke him a little bit more. Paul understood the abject poverty of his own spiritual condition without Jesus, and therefore, understood the enormity of the gift that had been given. Personally, I feel the same way about my past. So how do you balance the memories of the past with your present walk and your future hope?


Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18

Salvation changes every aspect of our beings, though our memories are still there. Yet no matter how painful your past was, you can look at that past through the glasses of perception. It is difficult to walk in sadness, regardless of your current hardships, knowing that you have an eternity with your Savior. It is difficult to beat yourself up over your sinful past knowing that God forgave everything and used your brokenness to bring you to His feet. It is difficult to walk again as an unbeliever when you understand what Jesus did by dying for your sins. Bobby McFerrin gave good advice to us as Christians, “Don’t worry! Be happy!” Let the joy of the Lord be your strength, and that joy stems from the burden that He carried for each of us. If you want to be blessed, don’t stray from your walk with the Lord!


13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
 Philippians 3:12-14