Different Outcome

Have you ever wondered what would have been, if you would have made different choices in your life?  Have you ever thought about the choices you should have made but chose not to at the time for one reason or another?  Sometimes people live in the past and they get very discouraged when they think of what might have been if they just made better choices at the time.  Some people go through life depressed because they are stuck in the past and can’t get beyond it.  Believers are encouraged to leave the past behind them and look to the future.

A good example of this was the Apostle Paul, what if he continually kept looking back at his past life as a persecutor of the church and it caused him to be in a depressed state most of the time, he wouldn’t have been near as effective as he was in the ministry and he may have just given up all together.  Read what Paul encouraged the believers to do in Philippians 3:7-21, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my 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. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

He encouraged them to look ahead and not to dwell in the past.  Paul had plenty of reason to dwell in the past but he chose to press on ahead keeping his eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith, and do what pleased Him.  He knew that he had been forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus and his goal was to honor Jesus Christ with the rest of his life.  Because of Paul’s devotion and love for the Lord, the Lord used him in a powerful way.  Paul’s goal was to know Christ and to be more like him, and that goal took all his energy.  Paul also loved the church and, I believe, he would have laid down his life for it also.  Paul was willing to give up everything, including his family and friends or whatever ties he had to this world, to know Christ even if he had to suffer, which happened quite often.  Whatever it took, he was willing.  Paul was ready, for he was sold out to his Savior and Lord!!

What about you?  What are you willing to give up in order to know Christ?  Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours with His perfect peace, love and joy and may you have a super day!!