Philippians 3:12

Philippians 3:12- Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Paul, in the preceding verses, mentions reasons he may have to be self-confident in himself. Having a self-confidence that is rooted in Christ is healthy; being confident that you are a child of God, confident in the calling He has placed on your life, confident of the gifting He has bestowed upon you is healthy. A confidence in all that you have accomplished, your position, and prestige can be unhealthy. Paul recognized this- that he has not arrived, even after all that he had accomplished for God up to this point in his life and so he says: Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect. Paul recognized that there is room to grow, and more to be accomplished. We too must recognize that there is always room for growth, improvement in our lives. Paul also recognizes that the task at hand, to grow and accomplish more for God, would take effort. So Paul goes on: but I press on to make it my own. As Christians we too, like Paul, must be a people in pursuit of God's plan for our lives. When we are in pursuit of God, we experience God. This brings change and transformation in our lives. It allows us to see God in ways we may have never seen Him before. His motive for being in pursuit of God's plan? Because Christ Jesus has made me his own Paul goes on to say. We too need to recognize that we belong to Him. Let this not be a concept-head knowledge, but a reality. That if we belong to Him it will show in our lives. That we assure ourselves that our desires and our passions are centered in Christ and not the things of this world. It is Christ who paid the price to have the rights to our lives. As Paul urged the church in Ephesus, I want to urge us as well to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called (Ephesians 4:1).