Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled, Pressing On in Jesus, was written by Leslie Coe.

On a run in the forest, I tried to find a shortcut and went down an unfamiliar path.

Wondering if I was lost, I asked a runner coming the other way if I was on the right track. Yep, he replied confidently. Seeing my

doubtful look, he quickly added, don't worry, I've tried all the wrong routes, but that's okay.

It's all part of the run.

What an apt description of my spiritual journey. How many times have I strayed from God,

given into temptation and been distracted by the things of life? Yet, God has forgiven me each time

and helped me to move on, knowing I will certainly stumble again.

God knows our tendency to go down the wrong path, but he's always ready to forgive again and again

if we confess our sins and allow his spirit to transform us.

Paul too knew this was all part of the faith journey.

Fully aware of his sinful past and current weaknesses,

he knew he had yet to obtain the Christ-like perfection he desired.

But one thing I do, he added in Philippians 3,

forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on.

Stumbling is part of our walk with God.

It's through our mistakes that he refines us.

His grace enables us to press on as forgiven children.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Philippians chapter 3, verses 12 through 16. 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

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