Focus On The Goal

There is so much hope to be found in Christ.
If I turn to Him. If I trust in Him. If I truly let Him change me and move me and guide me.
I can never fall. I can never be lost. I can never be alone.
Because Christ is there.

This journey of life is such a complex thing it seems. And yet, it's really quite simple. The journey of life is a journey toward Christ. The journey of life is a journey of the soul as I strive to become more like Christ.

The journey of life sifts me. I picture sifting the sugar white sand from our beach and finding the bits and pieces that mar the beauty of the sand left in the sifter. But the sand that has been sifted is more beautiful for the sifting.

The journey of life challenges us. We're challenged to commit to following Christ. We're challenged to run the race, to finish well. We're challenged to grow and change. It's like preparing for a marathon. Muscles ache as we train to run. The pain is there, but it's part of the preparation as we ready for reaching the goal. The goal of becoming Christ-like.

I can let the journey of life over take me. I can grow faint and weary. I can refuse to let myself be challenged. I can refuse to feel the pain. I can refuse to learn and grow. But I must not. I must not turn back. I must not deny Him. I must not lose hope. I must not leave the path. The path toward Christ.

~


The following is a facebook status from a friend today:
"--- is thankful that Jesus challenges us! Following Jesus means deep commitment and complete willingness. We must daily choose to follow Him if we wish to be His disciples, even if it means "giving up" what's most important to us. The good news is that just as Jesus' early disciples experienced blessing by responding to His challenges, so do we. (Matthew 10:37 & Luke 9:24)


I do not follow Jesus for the blessings that might come from it. I can't fathom giving up what I most wish and hope and dream just because there might be a "blessing" from it. No, I follow Jesus because I know Him. I cannot deny His Love and I respond by obedience. I focus on the goal. And the goal is to become as much like Christ in my life and person and being as I can.