Day 22 — Press On

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 3:13–14 (BSB)

You missed the winning shot. You struck out with the bases loaded. You didn’t make the team. You came in last. You played your worst game ever.

Losing hurts. And for a lot of guys, it’s hard to let go. You replay the mistake over and over in your head. You get mad at yourself. You feel embarrassed. You might even want to quit.

Paul knew a thing or two about setbacks. He was beaten, shipwrecked, thrown in prison and chased out of city after city. He had also made big mistakes in his past: before he met Jesus, he had hurt Christians. If anyone had reasons to be stuck in the past, it was Paul.

But look at what he said: “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on.”

Forgetting what is behind doesn’t mean you pretend it didn’t happen. It means you don’t let it hold you back. You learn from it, and then you let it go.

Straining toward what is ahead is a racing picture. Imagine a runner leaning forward at the finish line, stretching every muscle to cross first. He’s not looking backward at the runners behind him. His eyes are forward.

I press on means keep going. Don’t quit.

Here’s how to press on after a loss:

• Feel it, but don’t live in it. It’s okay to be disappointed for a while.
• Learn from it. What could you do differently next time?
• Don’t beat yourself up. Everyone loses. Even the greatest athletes miss most of the time.
• Don’t blame others. Take responsibility for your part.
• Get back to practice. The next game is a new chance.
• Remember what really matters. Your worth isn’t your score.

And the biggest “prize” isn’t a trophy. Paul was pressing on toward “the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.” Whatever happens in sports, that’s the race you can always keep running.

Think about it: Is there a loss or mistake you’ve been having trouble letting go of? What would it look like to “forget what is behind” and press on?

Try this: Think of a recent loss or mistake. Write down one thing you learned from it. Then write, “I press on.”

Dear God, when I lose or mess up, help me not to get stuck in the past. Help me learn from my mistakes, forget what is behind and press on toward what’s ahead. Thank You that my worth isn’t my score. In Jesus’ name, Amen.