Gospel Reflections #432: From me Operating to Jesus Operating the Core of my heart

Philippians 3:13,14 “I myself do not believe that I have already been caught up, but only that I am being caught up together with you, brethren. There is only one thing to be done: forgetting what is behind and focusing all your attention on what is ahead, run toward the goal for the prize that God has called you to receive through Jesus Christ."

The path of faith seems to be that there is no such thing as being okay here anymore.

It is not like running forever; it is more like maturing to the point of no end.

What we should do is to "forget the things behind," that is, not to be bound by the mistakes we have made, the mistakes we have made, the regrets we have made, the old self, etc., but to cast them out of us, discard them, forget them.

Then, by "turning our whole body to the former things," that is, by following Jesus, focusing on Him as we are renewed by believing in Him, He will lead us to be more like Him.

This race of faith is not about competing with someone else, or working hard on our own, or anything else.

This race is about surrendering the steering wheel at the center of our hearts from our own operation to Jesus' operation.

This surrender is neither mandatory nor obligatory.

The more we know who God is, and the more we commune with Him personally, the more our hearts will be filled with love, healing, compassion, and forgiveness, and the more peace, joy, and hope will overflow.

And we will find that our previous desire to control ourselves will be transformed into a willingness to surrender to God.

We cannot change our hearts no matter how hard we try. Only God's grace can change our hearts.

Only God's grace can renew and nurture our hearts and fill them with His love.

Our race is the race to receive God's love.

And that race is the race in which we are being transformed more and more.

No one is eliminated.

We will be given joy and hope like we have never experienced before in this race, and we will go forward sharing our joy.