What do you anticipate for this year? What is your frame of mind? Are you full of enthusiasm, looking forward eagerly to what each day will bring? Or are you filled with dread, worried that this year will be worse than the last year was for you? The Apostle Paul was never One to let circumstances conquer him. With the help of God he was determined to win the victor’s crown. Listen as his attitude, his dedication, his determination shines through in the words found in Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that 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. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; 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.” We must realize that our past defeats do not define us and our past victories do not exalt us! With Paul’s words fresh in our minds, we need to understand the value of Time. Time is important because there is no person who has more of it. No matter your personal status or importance in society, you have the same amount of time as everyone else, and all our time is limited. None of us can control our lives, and we are all subject to the reality of that fact. As we recognize the brevity of life, it will help us determine what the priorities of life are really all about. We don’t know anything about the future, but we have this moment, and we should appreciate the gift that we are given. Time is a gauge, use it to your advantage, don’t fear the passing of time, rather use the passage of time to motivate us to press forward to excellence.
