1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We are so glad to 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 2: have you listening. I'm Michelle Zurich. Today's topic is Strained 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 2: Forward Towards the Goal. We'll be back after a word 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: from our sponsor. Strained Forward Towards the Goal written and 6 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 2: read by Michelle S. Lazurik, Brothers and Sisters. I do 7 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 8 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 2: The one thing I do forgetting what is behind and 9 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 2: straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the 10 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 2: goal to win the prize for which God has called 11 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: me heavenward. In Christ Jesus Philip means three verses thirteen 12 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: to fourteen. After waiting many months for the Lord's direct 13 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 2: I have begun the ordination process with my denomination. Although 14 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 2: it is a long, complicated process, I know I am 15 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: up for the challenge. But first I wanted to pray 16 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: and make sure that my decision was not simply my decision, 17 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 2: but one that the Lord was calling me to make. 18 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 2: Through many months of silence, God finally used somebody in 19 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 2: my life to confirm what I needed to know. As 20 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 2: I've gone through the process, God has recalled many emotional 21 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 2: wounds I've needed to heal due to past her churt 22 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 2: and bad exchanges with brothers and sisters in Christ. I 23 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: became nervous about whether I could do the job. I 24 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: wasn't sure I wanted to go back into a situation 25 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 2: that could be toxic or harmful to my mental or 26 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: emotional state. One day, I was reading the Word and 27 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 2: came across the above verses. It was interesting for me 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: to note the phrase forgetting what is behind and straining 29 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: toward what's ahead. The word strain implies that it's not 30 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 2: easy to move. For instance, people with physical injuries who 31 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 2: want to run a marathon will find it quite tricky. 32 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 2: The pain of that injury will impede them from running 33 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 2: the face gracefully with a healthy body. Although we may 34 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: never completely forget the hurts and difficulties of our past, 35 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 2: God wants us to forget what they are and to 36 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: continue toward the goal he has for us. God doesn't 37 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: want us to ignore the pain. Instead, knowing it's there, 38 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 2: we should take steps to care for ourselves and also 39 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 2: to achieve the goal he has set for us. With 40 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 2: proper rest, nutrition, and healthy water intake. A person who 41 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 2: runs a marathon with an injury can do so, albeit slowly. 42 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: It is the same with us. God wants us to 43 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 2: strive toward the goal that He has for us. In 44 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: these verses, the price is heaven. Through many seasons of life, 45 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: we may be straining toward Heaven. We may be going 46 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: through challenging health crises, financial woes, church or relationship struggles. 47 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 2: Get through all of it. God wants us to keep 48 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 2: moving forward, even when we are stuck in those emotional wounds. 49 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: God wants us to heal so we can move forward 50 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 2: and reach the prize. Just as every marathon runners at 51 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 2: schools and works to meet them, we must meet our 52 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: goals to achieve what God has for us. He does 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: not want us to be stuck in the past. Instead, 54 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 2: he wants us to forget what is behind completely, heal 55 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: from it, and move forward so that we can move 56 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 2: toward Heaven. When we move toward Heaven, we help others 57 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: do the same. As people admire us and watch us 58 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: straining through the ups and downs of life with joy 59 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: and contentment, others are drawn to Christ too. When we 60 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 2: run the race that has been marked out for us, 61 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 2: we in turn help others run the race as well. 62 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 2: Don't become stuck in the past. Instead, heal from what 63 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 2: has ailed you. Seek the help of a professional, get medication, 64 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: or do whatever you need to forget what's behind you completely. Then, 65 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 2: when you are ready, move toward Heaven. No matter what 66 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: pace you are at, Strive toward the goal. Move toward Heaven, 67 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: and inspire others to reach Heaven's goals as well. Father, 68 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: let us be people who strain toward the goal. Let 69 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 2: us always keep our eyes and the prize heaven. Let 70 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 2: us remember then that the ultimate prize is being solidified 71 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 2: in our identity with you and in our intimate relationship 72 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: with you. Help us get the resources in time we 73 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 2: need to give. Lily, heal from the past. Two may 74 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: move forward toward the goal you have set for us. Amen, 75 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 2: intersecting faith in life, in what way are you stuck 76 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: in the past? In what ways can we heal from 77 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: the past, say you can move forward to. 78 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: Your future goals? 79 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 2: Further reading Hebrews twelve, verse one. 80 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 81 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,799 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 82 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 83 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 84 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled, inspirational podcasts, 85 00:04:53,480 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.