IN BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE PRIZE

There are principles in life that are like equations. You have to know and apply the right information to get the best results.

It's just like a puzzle. The pieces of every puzzle needs to be put in its perfect place to become whole and perfect.

And that includes what I'm about sharing with you now.

In today's article, IN BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE PRIZE, there's something that should be in between the two words— past and prize — which I'm about unfolding.

But first off, I want you to understand that every human in existence today possess these two; a past and a prize. They are both significant.

 

You have a past. And no! It doesn't have to be a bad one. You also have a prize to pursue.

Let me explain!

Every human have a past but many choose to let their past limit them either a good past or bad one. Yes! Even your good past can limit you.

Don't worry, I'm heading somewhere.

Secondly, the prize. The prize I'm talking of isn't just a literal award won for a feat or competition. It is a typology of your destiny. The beautiful and perfect life God prepared for you even before your existence.

Now, your past, either good or bad can hinder you from achieving God's best for your life and reaching optimum fulfillment of His will and purposes.

When you let the things you did or didn't do waylay you, you've actually put a static hold on your destiny. When you hold on to your past so strongly, you loosen yourself against the prize because no matter what you do, you can't hold unto your past and hold unto the prize at the same time. One has to go for the other to thrive.

You wallow in your past mistakes and errors or grudgingly hold unto someone who offended you or hurt you in the past. By doing so, you've kept yourself from going far in life.

Or maybe you're still boasting in your past achievements and success. That's you wanting to become an outdated version. When someone hear you speak, you only talk about how you achieve this or achieved that. How you pulled mountains and brought down giants...my dear, dwelling on that for too long will keep you there.

Or don't you know that there's something ahead of you that's far greater than your present feat no matter how big that achievement seems? You singing its praises and relaxing might keep you from taking another step because you feel you've arrived. 

This is why I earlier stated that dwelling in your past, whether good or bad will limit you. 

Just be thankful for what you've achieved, celebrate it and start drawing a bigger plan.

Having understood what the past and the prize is, let's look at what's in between.

What can actually get you to the prize irrespective of the past?

Let's quickly review this scripture.

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I PRESS TOWARD the mark for the prize..."

(Philippians 3:13‭-‬14 KJV)

This is apostle Paul's epistle. As at the time he wrote this, his past had lots of things to say about and against him. I bet it was enough to keep him down. He also had past achievements but he counted them as nothing because he understood that the prize that awaits is more glorious than his painful past experiences as well as the good ones.

What did he do then?

"I press toward..."

Now, "pressing toward" is an intentional decision and act. It takes faith, courage, determination and consistency. Why? Because your present state doesn't always look like your expectation and anticipation. As a matter of fact, it doesn't at all.

By pressing, your faith propels you to make moves even though you aren't sure of the steps you're currently taking.

Courage makes you try again and again when failures come and toughens you when challenges raises its head.

Determination and consistency is the force you need to thread the pathway onward to the prize.

The glorious destiny you have, that great vision given to you by God, that burning passion you want to see become a reality and everything you desire to make out of your life cannot come true if you haven't taken up these factors. Because whether you like it or not, circumstances to put you down will come to keep you from getting the prize.

So, just like apostle Paul, press! No matter how hard it is, don't throw in the towel.

Now...

If you've made peace with your past, that's beautiful! But ensure you're now running toward your prize (your aspirations, goals, visions and dreams) with that which is in between (pressing with faith, courage, determination). That's the vehicle that'll take you there successfully.

Drop that arrival mentality.

Leave the offenses.

Heal from the pain and get the broken pieces together.

Forgive and give yourself another chance. (Even God gives people chances, so who are you not to give yourself one).

Get up and pursue. 

There's a lot at the other end, much to conquer. What the future holds for you in Christ beats whatever you may have experienced or is experiencing.

Let go of the weight that keeps you from running the race of your life. (Hebrews 12:1).

Another reason some don't get to the prize is, they don't see any at all. They don't see any future. They only see the present struggles and challenges that surround them.

If you're in that category, then you badly need Jesus. He knows how to beautify a man and He gives him what to live for (a purpose).

You have a very beautiful future in Christ, no doubt about it. It's only in Him you'll find purpose and reasons to live. No man or pleasure can give it.

Finally, know this...

Nobody's past is better. The future is always better than the past whether you know it or not. It's left for you to embrace what the future holds and let go what the past reminds you.

 

And do it with Jesus!

He'll help you.

He'll heal you.

He'll strengthen you and hold you by the hand. 

Just give Jesus a chance.

God bless you.