10,000 Steps

How hard do you work at being Christ-like?  Do you take it as seriously as say staying healthy, earning money, working out, managing a home, or pursuing hobbies?  I struggle in this area and I think many other women do too.  We often take this Christian life lackadaisically.  We’re all too willing to play a passive role as we attend church and just hope God will gently change our ways eventually.  Slowly…….becoming….…more….…like…….Jesus.

Was this the lifestyle God had in mind for Christians when he had Paul write in Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers… one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Yeah, I don’t think so. Nothing about this passage sounds passive to me.  Neither did Paul display passivity in his life in working toward obedience to Christ. 

My oldest son gave me a Fitbit for Mother’s Day last weekend.  I didn’t even know I wanted one until he gave me one.  I also don’t remember ever caring how many steps I took in 24 hours…until now.  I set a goal of getting 10,000 steps per day and I’m really working at it.  I find myself looking down at my wrist constantly to see how many steps I have taken and how many I have yet to go (usually lots).  I’m taking walks and hopping on the treadmill.  Why?  What has changed?  A goal has been set.

Let me ask you something today.  If you knew that 10,000 steps would get you to Jesus, how hard would you work to take those steps?  How much of your time would be devoted to that one goal of being close to him?  For those of us who are his, there is no greater prize than to be with Jesus.  My hope is that we would run hard and “strain forward to what lies ahead” like Paul. 

We need to work hard at being more like Christ because Christ has made us his own.  We have an upward call upon our lives - a directive to move toward God in Christ.   We should break a sweat as we slay sin in our lives and move forward in holiness.  Expend the energy necessary because every step counts and every step is worth it.

Ladies, hear this upward call that that comes to you from God’s Word.  Read his voice every day and strive to live it out.  It alone enables you to progress in sanctification.   Learn to set goals for yourself.  What sins do you want to tackle?  Knock them out of your life one by one.  What Christ-like trait do you need to display more of?  Pursue it and practice it.  All goals should lead to the ultimate goal of obtaining the prize of being with Christ face to face.
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Have no doubts, Christ is worth the pursuit.  So, arm yourself with his Word and take the next step.