Fresh start means change is possible

When January rolls around, I like to think of it as a new lap in a long race.

No matter how years we have logged on the planet, no matter what our circumstances, we all have the opportunity to start fresh in a brand-new year.

I call it the race of life, and if we’re still breathing, we’re all in it. And as long as we are in it, we may as well run to win. If each year is another lap around the track, we may be in lap number 10 or lap number 70. We may have many laps left before us, or this may be the very last one — our gun lap. Only the Lord knows for sure.

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Wherever we happen to be in this race, we want to run to win. In the third chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he lays down principles that will help us stay on track.

First, you must realize that there is always more to learn and more that can and should change in your life as a Christian.

In other words, you can’t let yourself settle in to a spiritual status quo.

In Philippians 3:12 (NKJV) Paul writes: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

Remember, this is the apostle Paul talking — the guy who wrote almost half of our New Testament. He is saying, “Don’t imagined I’ve arrived. I’m not even close. But I’m going to give it all I’ve got for as long as I’ve got.”

In another translation, Paul’s reasoning goes like this: “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward — to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back” (Philippians 3:12-14, The Message).

In other words, Paul was satisfied with Christ, but he wasn’t satisfied with himself. So he’s saying, “I have a long ways to go.” Do you realize that about yourself? Or do you find yourself thinking, “Hey, I’m almost there. I’ve arrived.”

Yes, you may have made a great deal of progress in your Christian life since you first believed. But it seems to me that the more we know the Lord, the more we realize how far we fall short.

When you think about it, who could top the apostle Paul? From our perspective, he was certainly at the top of his game. But in his letter to the believers in Philippi, he said, “I have so far to go!”

It’s just a reminder that no matter how long you’ve known the Lord, no matter how many years you have walked with Him and studied His Word, there’s always room for growth. I think one of our problems is that we become complacent and satisfied with where we are.

Perhaps you are comparing yourself to other Christians, and thinking, “Well, I’m certainly farther along than he is.” Or maybe, “I’m way out ahead of her.”  

Years ago, when my grandchildren were small, they all wanted to race me. They would say, “I want to race Papa!.” So, my wife would pick a finish line (a few feet away) and guess what? I beat them.  

But so what? I beat a bunch of little grandkids! I know — I should have let them win. But it was game on, okay? (I did let them win occasionally).

Yes, but what if I tried to race them now?

I think every one of them would beat me.

What if I had tried to race an Olympic sprinter? They would be crossing the tape before I got out of the starting blocks.

If I’m comparing myself to people much weaker than me, I’ll always seem like I’m doing better. That sense of self-satisfaction is not a good thing. Paul refused to compare himself with others. (In fact, he counseled us not to do that in 2 Corinthians 10:12). Paul compared himself with Jesus Christ. And that’s why he said, “The plan here is progress, not perfection!”

Here is a second principle: Get rid of extra weight and the things that would hinder you. In Philippians 3:7-9 (NKJV) he writes: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”

Paul is saying, “As I look back on my life, I was a pretty accomplished guy. I was raised in an incredible family. I studied under the great teacher, Gamaliel. I knew culture. I knew languages. I knew Scripture. I was an intellectual. I was an orator. I was a great debater. I was as zealous as I could be. But guess what? All that stuff is now rubbish to me.”

I love the word “rubbish.” It’s a British-sounding word — kind of a classy way to say “garbage.” But the word Paul actually used here means excrement

He is saying, “Compared to belonging to Jesus, all of these great accomplishments, awards and trophies in my life are like so much dog dung in a doggy bag. Who cares about them? They’re just a weight to me, and I don’t want to think about them.”

In Hebrews 12:1 (TLB) the writer says, “Let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.”

We don’t want excess baggage when we’re running this race. This is hard for me because I am the original packrat. When we go on a trip, I always overpack. I take more stuff than my wife does! Unfortunately, that’s just the way that I am. But in the race of life, we want to run as lightly as possible.

So, as you are running this race, as you are walking with Christ through this new year, you need to periodically ask yourself, “Is there someone or something that’s slowing me down? Is there someone who is a bad influence on me spiritually? Someone who always seems to be pulling me away from what I know in my heart isn’t right?

Psalm 1 sums it up perfectly. It says, “Blessed (or happy) is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2, NKJV).

So, if you want to be a happy person, don’t hang around ungodly people who influence you to do ungodly things. But happiness isn’t comprised merely of what we don’t do. It’s also comprised of what we actually do. I don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly, but instead I get into the Word of God. I want to delight in it, memorize it, think about it and talk about it with others.

Finally, we must run with the right motive, Paul speaks of only one: receiving the prize — or running for the gold, if you will. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think most Olympians are aiming for a bronze medal. Yes, bronze is a wonderful honor, and silver is even better. But when you compete, you compete for the gold. You run for the top award.

Our primary motive is not running for an earthly or even heavenly award. Our primary motive is found in Philippians 3:10-11 (NLT). Paul writes, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

In the Amplified Bible Paul’s statement reads like this: “My determined purpose in life is that I may know Him.” Then he defines what that means: “That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly.”

Knowing Jesus! More and more and more. That is gold for every believer. That’s what we’re reaching for.

And that’s why we run.