Goals Aligned with God与神一致的目标

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Dexu Xia

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Oct 3, 2026, 2:58:16 AM (8 days ago) Oct 3

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I want to know Christ. Philippians 3:10

Today's Scripture Philippians 3:10-16

Today's Insight Paul is driven by his urgent passion “to know Christ” (Philippians 3:10). He wants to “know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection” (vv. 10-11). Being transformed to be like the resurrected Jesus requires us to pursue that goal with everything we have (vv. 13-14, 17). Yet even as we “press on toward the goal” (v. 14), we know it’s only possible through complete reliance on God. He’ll help us shape our goals so that we’ll know Him better. One day, we’ll be resurrected and will finally reflect Him perfectly (v. 21).

Today's Devotion

After getting fired from his job without prior notice, Wil became so depressed that he admitted himself into an inpatient mental health facility. Then one day, after weeks with no progress, he was taking his daily walk when his therapist, seeing him, smiled and called out, “I bet I’ll beat you to the community room.” Wil recalls, “That small act triggered something inside of me.” Suddenly he felt he had a purpose. Walking fast, he raced his therapist to the room and won. To his surprise, having one inspiring goal and meeting it gave him hope—a key to his recovery.

The apostle Paul understood the power of a clear goal. “I want to know Christ,” he told church members (Philippians 3:10). He wanted to know the power of the resurrected Jesus, for that power would help the apostle become more like Him. To achieve that aim, Paul followed one strategy: “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” (vv. 13-14). Feel like you’re falling short? God helps us refocus our goals as we “live up to what we have already attained” in Christ (v. 16).

Paul’s goal, therefore, wasn’t focused on earthly things. He knew that “our citizenship is in heaven” (v. 20). With this eternal perspective in view, we find new hope to thrive in Christ.

Reflect & Pray

What goals do you have? How might you need to change them to align with Christ’s purpose?

Please shape my goals, dear Father, so they inspire me to know Jesus. Patricia Raybon

我要认识基督。——腓立比书 3:10

今日经文：腓立比书 3:10-16

今日洞见：保罗怀着一种迫切的热情，渴望“认识基督”（腓立比书 3:10）。他想要“晓得他复活的大能，并且晓得和他一同受苦，效法他的死，或者我也得以从死里复活”（10-11节）。若要生命改变，变得像复活的耶稣那样，我们就必须竭尽全力去追求这一目标（13-14、17节）。然而，即使我们在“向着标竿直跑”（14节），我们也深知，唯有完全倚靠神，这一切才有可能实现。神会帮助我们塑造目标，使我们能更深地认识祂。终有一天，我们要复活，并最终完美地彰显祂的形象（21节）。

今日灵修威尔在毫无预兆的情况下被解雇，因极度抑郁而住进了精神健康疗养院。几周过去了，他的病情毫无起色。有一天，当他在院内照常散步时，治疗师看见了他，便微笑着喊道：“我敢打赌，我会比你先到活动室。”威尔回忆说：“那个小小的举动触动了我的内心。”刹那间，他感到自己有了目标。他加快脚步，与治疗师赛跑前往活动室，结果赢了。令他惊讶的是，拥有一个鼓舞人心的目标并将其实现，竟给了他希望，而这正是他康复的关键。

使徒保罗深知明确目标所蕴含的力量。“我要认识基督，”他告诉教会的会众（腓立比书 3:10）。他渴望认识复活耶稣的大能，因为那大能将帮助他变得更像耶稣。为了实现这一目标，保罗遵循了如下的策略：“忘记背后，努力面前的，向着标竿直跑，要得神在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏”（13-14节）。

你是否觉得自己做得还不够好？当我们“照我们已达到的地步”在基督里行事时（16节），神会帮助我们重新调整目标。因此，保罗的目标并不着眼于世俗之事。他深知“我们的国民（公民身份）在天上”（20节）。怀着这种永恒的视角，我们在基督里找到了蓬勃生活的新希望。

反思与祷告你有什么目标？为了与基督的心意一致，你可能需要如何调整这些目标？亲爱的天父，请塑造我的目标，好让它们激励我去认识耶稣。