“Brothers, 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.”  Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

The 2016 Olympics are in full swing. Every night Olympians grace my screen with the fruition of their hard work. I watch intently as the runners approach the start of their race. The starting stances vary depending on the race to be run. The strategies, narrated by the announcer, are also unique to each race and coaching style. Running has never been my thing, but I find these strategies quite fascinating. They could make just enough difference to determine the outcome by tenths of a second.

In addition to the strategic part of the race, training is essential and the use of training partners is typical. These partners train together and support each other in the races. They might not even be from the same country, but they are put together to make each runner individually better.

I also heard over and over how much of a race is mental; the mind guiding the performance of the body. Therefore, mental preparation is just as important as the physical preparation. I think that is what Paul is trying to convey in Philippians 3:13-14 that even though he hasn’t reached the end of his race, he presses on toward the goal. It’s a mindset.

The idea behind the Greek word used here for press is “to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire”. Paul is not allowing himself to rest in what was, only to look ahead at what will be. Pressing on toward the goal, the finish line. It’s part of his race strategy and he uses it with the same exuberance an Olympic runner shows as he seeks the gold.

Paul knows his race is ending. He has no regrets with the way he ran his race. He says in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV), “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Indeed he did.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Paul’s example. Thank You for allowing us to see into his life as he struggled to run the race. Even though we run a similar race, help us to do it well. Help us to keep our eyes on You through it all.

For Today:  What is your strategic plan for your spiritual race?  Do you have a “training” partner?  What does “pressing on” look like in your spiritual walk?