Keep Pressing On

When I was in high school, I read the story of a man named Ernest Shackleton, and I’ve never forgotten it.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Shackleton set out to accomplish what, at the time, seemed nearly impossible: reach the South Pole. On one expedition, his ship became trapped in ice and was eventually crushed. Shackleton and his crew spent months stranded before he and five other men climbed into a small boat and sailed roughly 800 miles across some of the most dangerous waters on earth to find help. Somehow, after everything they endured, Shackleton eventually made it back and rescued every member of his crew.

What has always fascinated me are the names of the ships Shackleton used on his expeditions: Discovery. Nimrod. Endurance.

In some ways, those names describe my journey with Jesus.

When I first became a Christian, everything felt like discovery. I was full of dreams and imagination. I immediately started doing youth ministry, preaching on the streets, traveling with other young people, and telling folks about Jesus. The world was my oyster. I was discovering what it meant to follow Christ.

But after a few years, I discovered that following Jesus requires something else: strength and courage. The Christian life is wonderful, but Jesus never promised it would always be comfortable. In fact, He told His disciples that He was sending them out like lambs among wolves.

And then, eventually, you discover you need endurance.

Endurance is the ability to continue despite unfavorable circumstances. After more than four decades of following Jesus, I can tell you there have been moments when I’ve needed exactly that. I’ve faced things I never expected to face. I’ve walked through pain, disappointment, uncertainty, and circumstances I couldn't control.

But Jesus has gotten me through.

That's why I love Paul's words in Philippians 3. Paul is writing as someone who has followed Jesus faithfully, suffered tremendously, experienced the power of God, planted churches, and seen lives transformed. Yet he still says, "Not that I have already obtained all this... but I press on."

Think about that. Paul wasn't finished discovering Jesus. And neither are we.

Earlier in Philippians, Paul says he is confident that the God who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion. That's the grace of God. He started the work. He is faithful. He loves us extravagantly, and nothing we've done, are doing, or will do can change the reality of His love for us.

But there is another side to the Christian life.

We reach. We stretch. We press on.

Grace doesn't make us passive. Grace gives us the confidence to pursue Jesus because we know He is already pursuing us.

Paul describes his passion this way: "I want to know Christ."

Not simply know more information about Him. Paul wanted to experience Him—to become thoroughly acquainted with Jesus and experience the power of His resurrection working in his life.

How many of you know, you can know a lot about Jesus without deeply experiencing Jesus.

We can attend church, read Christian books, listen to sermons, and know all the right answers while slowly allowing Jesus to fade into the background of our life. I know because I've had to recognize that in my own life more than once.

I've been following Jesus for over 45 years, and there have been several seasons when I've realized I needed to go back and do the things I did at first. I needed to rediscover Jesus.

Years ago, shortly after becoming a Christian, I went on a ministry trip to Amsterdam. I was surrounded by Christians who seemed confident, gifted, and comfortable sharing their faith. I was intimidated by them. That night, sitting in the window of my hotel room, I prayed, "Jesus, please make me like them."

And I sensed His response so clearly: "No. I'll make you like Me."

That moment changed something in me.

The goal of Christianity isn't becoming like another Christian you admire. The goal is becoming like Jesus.

Jeremiah 29:13 gives us a beautiful promise: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." If we want to rediscover Jesus, we have to pursue Him.

Sometimes that means changing our routines. It means turning something off, putting something down, and intentionally creating space to be with Him. It means setting aside time to pray and read Scripture. It also means surrender.

One of the simplest prayers we can learn to pray is, "Jesus, please be the boss of my life."

It's waking up and saying, "Jesus, You lead today. Help me make the right decisions. When I'm tempted, help me run from it. When someone irritates me, help me respond with kindness. When You ask me to do something uncomfortable, give me the courage to obey."

And that's not a prayer we pray once when we become Christians.

It's a prayer we learn to pray every day.

Paul also tells us that pressing forward requires leaving some things behind. "Forgetting what is behind," he says, "and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal."

Some of us are trying to move forward while continually staring backward.

We're carrying regret over what we've done, resentment over what others have done, or disappointment over things that didn't happen the way we hoped. But because of Jesus, our past no longer gets the final word over our future.

God, who is rich in mercy, has made us alive with Christ. We aren't who we used to be. We don't have to remain trapped by fear, shame, bitterness, or unbelief. We can forget what lies behind and reach toward what God has placed ahead.

And sometimes reaching really does feel like a stretch.

Following Jesus can be uncomfortable. Forgiving someone who hurt you is a stretch. Obeying when you don't understand is a stretch. Making time for prayer when you're busy is a stretch. Sharing your faith when you're nervous is a stretch.

But that's part of pressing on.

Over the years, I've discovered a few simple practices that continually help me return to that pursuit. Surrender to Jesus every day. Set a time to read His Word and pray. When you pray, stop talking long enough to listen. And surround yourself with people who want the same thing you do—people who want to know Jesus, pray together, live on mission, and experience God in their everyday lives.

I've seen what can happen when we live this way.

I've been prayer walking in Ireland and felt God draw my attention to a young man I had never met, giving me an opportunity to tell him how deeply God loved him. I've walked out of a coffee shop knowing I needed to speak to a stranger, only to discover that God had already been working in her life before I ever said a word.

Those experiences aren't reserved for a special category of Christians. That's the adventure Jesus invites all of us into.

Maybe you've been following Jesus for six months. Maybe it's been 45 years. Either way, there is still more of Him to discover. You haven't arrived. Neither have I.

So keep reaching. Keep stretching. Keep surrendering.

Keep making space for His voice.

Keep surrounding yourself with people who will pursue Him alongside you.

And whatever you do, keep pressing on.

The God who began this good work in you isn't finished yet.