Don't Look Back

2012 Victors of the Cherry Crest Corn Maze!  (October 2012) 

"I do not consider myself to have apprehended spiritual maturity or Christlike perfection, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13-14

A runner who looks backward will lose the race, and I am not interested in losing! (Except weight--I certainly don't mind losing THAT!)

I am so thankful for Elisabeth George's book, "Loving God with All Your Mind."  This book has been a paramount part of my success over the past year and a big part of what God has revealed to me.  According to her, here are some powerful questions I must ask myself if I want to live like the Apostle Paul is suggesting in Phil 3:13-14.

• Am I focusing my efforts toward the prize that waits at the end, or am I too content watching other people's efforts?
• Am I "training" regularly and "working out" in the daily disciplines of my Christian life?
• Am I properly fueling my body with sleep, nutrition, and exercise for maximum results?

Running the race--living for Christ and growing into His image--requires focus and discipline.

 People will often ask me how I was able to get to where I am now.  "How did you lose so much weight?"  And they don't mean, "What program did you use?" when they are asking it with this tone.  They mean, "How did you find the self-control and will power to do such a thing?!"

I didn't find it.  It was provided for me.  God put a path in front of me and I could either walk in it or not.  Deciding not to would have left me where I was, and inevitably would have been much worse in the long run.  Deciding to take the steps meant having faith.  But how could I have that faith?

Well, for starters, I reflected on the things God had already done for me in my life.  The list was long if I was willing to spend time remembering.

Then, I made a list of what it was that I really wanted.  What would freedom from food look like for me?  What would it mean to me if I could move and have energy again?  What would it look like if I could sleep at night and be more productive during the day?  What kinds of things could I do that I couldn't do if I stayed where I was?

Those things became like little prizes.  I set my feet on that scary path and I kept my eyes on the prizes.  If we don't know WHY we're desiring change, then the change won't happen.

You can either believe that you can.  Or believe that you can't.  Either way--you'll be right.

Choose to believe you CAN.  And then...

...forget those things which are behind you and reach forward to those things which are ahead, and press on toward the goal for the prize...