Upward Calling/Straining Forward

When I think of an upward calling, I think of a perfect pursuit. Meaning that someone sees something they want, or somebody is trying to live a certain way and they aren't going to let anything get in their way. This upward calling is from God. The only upward calling that there can be is from God. When you want something you aren't going to go back to your own ways or look back at how things used to be right? Also, you're not going to want to look to your right or left. When you start looking to your right or left you get side tracked. 

I hope that you can understand what I mean by an upward calling. I challenge you to think of you recognize God's calling in your own life. 

Another thing I want you to think about is this. How often in your life does something negative happen to you and you let it just eat you away? How do you react when you get a bad grade in a class? Do you worry about it like crazy and completely lose confidence in yourself? How do you react when somebody upsets you? Do you let it ruin the rest of your day or do you forget about? It's like the bible verse that talks about not being angry when the sun goes down. 

How do YOU handle those situations? Do you forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead? 

Paul has some encouraging words for us in Philippians chapter 3.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it by own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:13-15) 

I really love what Paul writes here. He is encouraging us to forget what lies behind and to strain forward to what lies ahead. I love his word choice here. Straining isn't an easy thing to do. Paul understands that it is a difficult thing to do but he knows that we can. To strain forward is one of the most difficult things we can do because it requires a lot of letting your guard down and accepting that things are not going to be easy. Paul writes that he is pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling of Christ Jesus. 

When we press on, we are pressing on toward the goal for the prize. We aren't living this life and straining forward for no reason. There is a purpose behind everything that we say and do. YOU have a purpose whether you think it or not. We all have a purpose and when you understand that you have a purpose your life can change. 

I also love the last sentence of that passage. Paul is saying that those who are mature need to think about what was written about above and if anyone else thinks otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. I love this so much because Paul is writing that God will reveal these things to you whether you are spiritually mature or not. Paul doesn't say that only those who are mature will understand this, he includes everybody and that is how it should be.

I hope this post was encouraging in some sort of way. If you can take anything away I hope that you can forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. When we begin to live our lives this way, just think about how much more positive everything can become. It's a matter of pushing on and straining forward every single day.