Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Detain, Attain, Retain


Monday 2/4/2013 5:03 AM
The theme for my devotions this week is growth.  When I think of the growth in my faith over time I would probably best describe it as two steps forward, one step back.  There is progress but it seems slow and inconsistent at best.
My assigned reading today included Philippians 3 with its familiar words about pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.  I’ve memorized that verse with its admonition to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead.  Though difficult at times, which would cause me to strain, this gives an image of someone who is always moving forward rather than the growth the way I experience it in my daily walk with God.  A few verses later Paul encourages the Philippians with these words, “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”  Therein lies my problem.  I keep returning to the same things.  God tells me to change an attitude, a bad habit, the way I treat people, the way I talk about people, etc. and, after a short time of success I return to my previous behavior and God needs to come to me again.  I need to retain what I have attained so that God does not have to repeatedly detain me.  Then I will be less likely to take two steps forward, one step back.

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