Don’t Camp in the Past — Press On to Know Christ
Therefore… stand firm in the Lord.
Philippians 4:1
What does it mean to truly know Christ? Philippians 3:10 reveals that knowing Him includes both His righteousness and fellowship in His sufferings.
There’s a kind of spiritual stuckness that feels almost holy because it’s familiar. We call it “being realistic”, “being cautious”, or, if we are honest, “being tired.” But Paul would call it something else: not pressing on.
As we come into Philippians 4, Paul is not starting a new conversation. He is drawing a line under everything he has already said and saying, “In light of all I just said… therefore.” In other words, this isn’t just information for your head; this is a pathway for your feet.
He has already told them, “Forget the past, anything that would keep you from moving forward.” This includes guilt over failures you have repented of and can no longer change. But it also includes a quieter trap: your laurels. The places where you once served, once grew, once sacrificed, and now think, “Been there. Done that. I’ve done my part.” Or maybe, “I wish I could go back to that season where I had purpose and was ‘seen.’” Paul gets it. He could have rested on laurels no one else could match. He had the pedigree, training, zeal, and achievements enough to build a platform for self-trust. And yet he says, all of it is loss compared to knowing Christ (Phil. 3:7–8).
That word “knowing” is not knowing about Jesus the way you know facts about a public figure. It is covenant knowing: the deep, personal, life-shaping knowing that belongs to relationships. Paul’s ultimate goal is not “a better life.” His goal is Christ Himself: “I want to know Christ… and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). That’s why he presses on. The closer you get to Jesus, the more you realize there is so much more of Him to know. Maturity isn’t arriving; it’s hungering for more.
Then he says something that sounds almost contradictory: “Stand firm in the Lord” (Phil. 4:1). How can we press on and stand firm at the same time? Here’s the beauty: the Christian life is movement rooted in stability. We move forward because we are held and rooted. We strive because we are secure and we press on because Christ has already taken hold of us (Phil. 3:12). Our effort is not an anxious attempt to earn God’s love; it is a grateful response to love already given. This truth wipes out legalism.
A Deeper Walk Through Hard Places
Paul’s tenderness in Philippians 4:1 matters. He doesn’t bark orders. He says: “my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown.” He is not ashamed of affection, and he is not afraid to say, “You are deeply loved.” And then he tells them something very personal: You are my crown. In Paul’s world, an athlete’s crown was a garland, beautiful for a moment, fading quickly. But Paul says, “My prize is not applause. It’s fruit.” Watching God’s grace take root in real people was worth every hardship. This kind of love flows from being loved by Jesus.
If you have ever parented, you understand this. In the hard years when you’re weary and wonder if you’re doing any good at all, you don’t say, “This is fun.” You say, “This is important, it matters.” And then sometimes, years later, you see fruit: a grown child walking with Christ, repenting when wrong, loving the church, choosing humility. And you think, with tears, “It was worth it.”
This is Paul’s heart. Can you see it? And friends, it’s God’s heart for you too. He is not asking you to press on as a lonely achiever. He is inviting you to press on as a beloved child.
So what is behind you that keeps tugging at your ankle?
A sin you have confessed, but you keep rehearsing as if Christ’s blood wasn’t enough.
A wound you keep reopening, not to heal, but to justify your bitterness.
A season of ministry you once loved, and now you point to it like a trophy: “I’ve done my time.”
Longing for the past when you were noticed, appreciated, and important.
Paul says, resolve what must be resolved for growth, then move forward. Don’t camp in the past, whether it’s your shame or your success. There is more of Christ to know.
Here is the mercy: the same Jesus who calls you forward is the One who holds you steady. “Stand firm in the Lord.” Not in your track record, your feelings, or your ability to stay consistent. In the Lord.
Living with Eternal Perspective
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
If you feel spiritually stuck, don’t begin by asking, “What’s wrong with me?” Begin by asking, “What am I clinging to that keeps me from knowing Christ more deeply?” Name it before the Lord. Then take one small, practical step forward, one Scripture to meditate on, one conversation to pursue, one act of obedience you’ve been delaying.
PRAYER
Father, You know the places where I am stuck, where my past keeps pulling me backward. Teach me what it means to forget what lies behind and press on to know Christ. Help me stand firm in the Lord, not in myself. Give me fresh hunger for Jesus and courage to take the next faithful step. In His name, amen.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.
