Paul explains that he sees his walk with Jesus as ongoing. He freely admits he is still growing—striving for the purpose Jesus has set before him and the end goal of eternity. He is not saying that it is easy. It requires discipline.
Perseverance in the Christian life can seem impossible at times, but Paul reminds us of two important truths. One, we can persist in following Jesus by looking forward to the end goal of eternity. We know our citizenship isn’t on this earth—it’s in heaven with God. With that perspective, we can run after Jesus with endurance, keeping the goal ever before us. Two, when eternity feels abstract or too far away to focus on, we have living examples of Christians who actively follow after Jesus. We can look to them for encouragement when we want to quit, instruction when we’re unsure what to do, and fellowship when we suffer.
Paul chooses to persevere in his life, knowing the suffering he’s experiencing now has a purpose and an ending. One of the ways we can see opportunities to grow in our faith is by looking to the people around us. Paul encourages the Philippians to imitate his example.
Grow In God's Grace 