“Not as though I had already attained!” This is the statement of a great Christian who never
permitted himself to be satisfied with his spiritual attainments. Obviously, the Apostle Paul
was satisfied with Jesus Christ, but he was not satisfied with his Christian life. A sanctified
dissatisfaction is the first essential to progress in the Christian race.
Harry came out of the manager’s office with a look on his face dismal enough to wilt the
roses on the secretary’s desk.
Later in the day, the secretary talked to her boss about Harry the boss chuckled. “Harry is one
of our best salesmen and I’d hate to lose him. But he has a tendency to rest on his laurels and
be satisfied with his performance. If I didn’t get him mad at me once a month, he’d never
produce!”
Many Christians are self-satisfied because they compare their “running” with that of other
Christians, usually those who are not making much progress. Had Paul compared himself
with others, he would have been tempted to be proud and perhaps to let up a bit.
But Paul did not compare himself with others; he compared himself with himself and with
Jesus Christ! The mature Christian honestly evaluates himself and strives to do better.
From the Bible: “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the
fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…. Not that I have already
obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that
for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:10, 12, NASB).
Read: all of Philippians 3.
Action assignment: Compare yourself with yourself and with Jesus Christ. Fix your eyes on
Jesus as you go through your day.

WARREN W. WIERSBE
www.backtothebible.in