In writing the book of Philippians, Paul wants his readers to know that his one goal in life is Christlikeness in character, attitude, and behavior. At the same time, he's clear that he hasn't yet arrived at the goal. Likewise, as believers, we know that we've started, but we know we're not what we ought to be. This truth, I believe, will help us to avoid the trap of despair.
Despair happens when we allow our ever-changing emotions to dominate our thoughts rather than the never-changing promises of God. We struggle against sin so much that we even begin to doubt our salvation. I've often had a student come to my office and say to me, "How can I possibly be a Christian? I'm such a failure. I'm finding it really difficult to battle against the materialism and impurity all around me." I often reply, "That's not a bad thing. What you're saying is a good sign. The Christian life is a tough race, it's a tough battle." I remind them that all the verbs in the New Testament about the Christian life are action terms:
Fight the good fight of faith.
Wrestle with me in prayer.
Resist the devil.
Run the race.
You see, one of the signs of progress in your Christian walk is humility. Paul had it. "I've started but I'm not what I ought to be." That's refreshing to read. There's a great deal of humility there. "I have not attained. I'm not perfect. I haven't gotten there yet." He's referring to the mature life, the Christlike life. There's a constant tension between perfection and immaturity. And it will last until the day we see Jesus face to face.
Plutarch, the first century philosopher, said that when young men came to study in Athens, they went through three stages.
They came as wise men. After they'd been there a little while they were lovers of wisdom. At the end of their course they described themselves as fools. We're in the school of Christ, says Paul. We're aiming for the unattainable, for perfection, knowing full well that in this life we can never attain it. We can live with that tension once we understand it.
In the car this morning I was listening to C. S. Lewis's remarkable book Mere Christianity. In it he writes these words:
God knows our situation. He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them. Before we can be cured, we must want to be cured. Those who really wish for help will get it.
Then he adds this powerful statement:
We may indeed be sure that perfect chastity, like perfect charity, will not be attained by any merely human effort. You must ask for God's help. Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given. Never mind. After each failure, ask for forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just the power of always trying again. For however important chastity or courage or truthfulness or any other virtue may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn, on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and on the other that we need not despair even in our worst. For our failures are forgiven. The only fatal thing is to sit down with anything less than perfection.
What an encouragement! Paul never heard about Nike or New Balance. He probably never ran a literal race. But he knew enough about track and field to realize just how difficult the Christian life is. That's why, in talking about our walk with Christ, he used hard words like fight, struggle, battle, and race. He knew what he was talking about.
Why not take a few moments and develop of list of, say, the five biggest struggles you are dealing with right now that are holding you back from running your race. Write them down, using a brief phrase to describe them:
1. ______________________________.
2. ______________________________.
3. ______________________________.
4. ______________________________.
5. ______________________________.
Talk to the Lord about these regularly, asking him to help you to overcome them. And remember: He's on your side, even when you fall down. As Lewis said, when that happens ask for forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again.