Today, I finished preparing for the youth group lesson out of Philippians 3.12-16. Part of Paul's language here is indicative of a race, straining forward, looking to the future. As I processed Paul's commitment to furthering his own spiritual life, even though we might consider him one of the primary examples of how to live and act, I came to some questions that I think we should all consider:
- Why can it be difficult to continue to strive to be better when you are already ‘pretty good’?
- What are some problems with comparing ourselves to those running around us?
- What are some problems with focusing on the past rather than the future?
- What are some reasons people put more effort into things like sports, work, and fun than their Christian race?
- As you evaluate your race, what is one area you can focus on?