“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 NIV
Have you ever been in a season where all you can do is just keep getting up every day? It’s called survival mode.
Maybe there is a situation you can’t resolve. You can’t fix it or pray it away. Every morning you wake up to the same challenge. It seems like this may last for the rest of your life and you just don’t know how you are going to make it through.
In survival mode, the only thing that seems possible is to keep doing what you need to do to live. Go to work. Pack the kids' lunches and get them off to school. Buy the groceries. Cook the dinner. Get the kids to bed. Fall into bed yourself. And then do it all again tomorrow.
The happiness of the past is a distant memory. The future is a black hole. The only thing you can see is now. And now is like slogging through a marsh in combat gear. Heavy and messy. And you don’t know how long it will take to get out of the slop.
What if persevering is the only thing you can do? Then persevere, my friend. Press on.
I’ve lived what I described. I have lived survival mode. The heaviness of it is forever etched in my memory. At times, I would struggle to find God, but then He would show up in a beautiful way. In ways that are also forever etched ini my memory.
In one of those moments, I happened to be alone in the car. I may have just dropped my kids off somewhere. I don’t remember. But talking to Jesus alone in my car became singing to Him. It was an effort, a choice to offer praise. I remember singing, “It is Well with My Soul.” As the words came out of my mouth, I felt them connecting with the depths of my soul and the song became a declaration. It was then that I became aware of God’s presence in the empty car with me as I drove.
He hadn’t just arrived. He had been there all along. Not just in the car, but in every moment of survival mode. But in that moment, I experienced Him. That experience carried me through the times when I couldn’t feel Him.
Dear friend, if you are in survival mode right now, know that Jesus is with you. You aren’t walking through this alone. You may not feel Him. You may not experience Him like I did. But I can tell you from my experience that He is there. He won’t leave you. And the marsh you are slogging through does have another side. You will get there. Press on.
Key Question: What if persevering is the only thing you can do?
A Scripture to Consider: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 NIV
A YES Challenge: Look back over the last few days, and ask God to show you where He has been present with you. Thank Him for what you see and for the ways He has been with you that you still don’t see.
Prayer: Dear Lord, You know exactly where I am right now. You know how hard it is for me to see and experience You in this season. But, Lord, I choose to persevere. I choose to give You praise. I choose to press on. I ask You to help me recognize where You are and to empower me to keep going. I love You. Help me to trust You. Amen.
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