Pressing on Through the Loss

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, 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, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:7-14 

Over the last week you have either watched the terrible devastation left by Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast, or you have lived it.  I have prayed and prayed, felt heartache, sat wide-eyed at the pictures and video, and gave thanks for what I have after watching many who now have nothing but their lives.  And a few thoughts have come to mind over the last week that I felt I would share.

First of all, I have so much to be thankful for, even if I feel it might be less than I wish I had.  Often it is all in prospective, and I know what I have would be more than enough for those who have lost nearly or all of their possessions.  My house isn’t fancy, I often buy my clothes at Kohl’s or even Wal-Mart, and I drive a Chrysler minivan; but I am blessed.  I have food on my table, a table to put food on with a roof over it, and warm clothes along with all the necessities for a decently comfortable life.



Secondly, my family and I have our health.   So many children and adults are suffering from cancer or some other illness/disease that has no cure, and pain is an every second reminder of how short their time is on earth. 

And lastly, I have the hope of Christ and eternity in the presence of my Lord and Savior.  It is so hard for us here on earth to keep in mind that this life is but a blink of the eye when compared to eternity.  Things here often feel unbearable, like we truly couldn’t make it another second, and yet as time goes by…we do survive.  Whether it is the loss of a parent, child, or spouse…or the burning down or washing away of our home and personal possessions we have spent a lifetime collecting with memories attached; it is often hard to move on forward. 

Today’s scripture calls us to press on, toward our goal; thus winning the prize.  It tells us to forget what is behind, and strain for what is ahead.  If you are like me, forgiving is easier than forgetting…I just don’t forget easily!  And to strain forward, that would mean it was very difficult to move ahead.  The definition of straining is to exert or tax to the utmost, or to stretch beyond a proper limit.  I would feel safe to say the people of New York and New Jersey feel taxed to the utmost, and stretched beyond their limits.  Many have lost some, most, all, and several even their life or the lives of those they loved most.  Forget it, strain forward…quite the tall order.  I will ask everyone reading this to please pray as thousands try to deal with the pain and loss and strain forward.  My hope is as they hit their knees under the weight of their loss and despair, they will look up toward a God who knows their pain, loves them unconditionally, and can comfort those who feel inconsolable.