DO NOT BE COMPLACENT
DO NOT BE COMPLACENT
By Evangeline Unity Esaaba Folson
3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus
3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
To be complacent is to be self-satisfied or not worrying about progressing. Complacency has prevented many great men and women of God from achieving their best or reaching the heights God has set for them.
In the passage above, the Apostle Paul warns us about not being complacent and shows us how to prevent complacency.
Philippians 3:12
In the verse above, the Apostle says, to prevent himself from being complacent although he had done so much for Christ (sent the message of salvation to the gentiles and written more than half of the new testament) and suffered a lot for the sake of Christ (imprisoned several times, beaten etc.), he never saw himself as perfect or having already received the reward for his work.
He always wanted to do more and keeps striving or putting in a lot of effort to ensure that he excels.
For some of us, once we receive compliments from others or receive the praise of men verbally or through Social Media (this is a big thing these days) we believe we have achieved the best we can. We start behaving like celebrities in our own way. If we do this, we will miss the mark Christ has set for us.
Philippians 3:13
Another translation of this verse says;
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.
The Apostle Paul says, he never thinks or believe (consider) he has reached the goal or purpose God has set for him. Inspite of all the good work he had done in the area of spreading the gospel and all the books he had written, perhaps, he could say he had done more than most of Jesus’s twelve Apostles, but he still believed he had to achieve more.
In order not to become proud and boast in his abilities he forgets all he has already done and strives to achieve more.
If you think about all you have achieved in life constantly you become proud and complacent because you may have had more success in life as compared to most of your peers. There is still more to do, the best is still ahead of you, do not relax, keep pressing on and striving to do more.
Another danger in thinking about your past is that, you may have failed in certain areas and this might discourage you from pressing on to do more for Christ.
Keep pressing on, your best years are ahead of you.
Philippians 3:14
The N&T presents the verse above in this way:
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly price for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
In this translation the Apostle Paul sees his life in Christ as a race still in progress. Since the race has not ended, he cannot relax or yield to fleshly desires like taking a holiday from ministry work or focusing all attention on career, he was a tent maker (Arts 18:3) because he needed money.
His prime objective was winning souls for Christ, all other things came second or after he had fulfilled his mission or ministry. To him, the race of life ended only when the Lord called him home.
Philippians 1:21
For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Work faithfully for the Lord until, He finally calls you home
Reference
2. Oxford English Minidictionary
3. Google.com
