There is something incredibly primal about football. The physicality of the sport requires a heightened level of determination. Imagine both teams on a goal line stand, just two yards from the end zone. At the sound of the snap, huge, hulking bodies collide. Each player shoves against the other inch by inch until one side discovers a weakness. The ball carrier either breaks through or gets tackled. From a spectator’s perspective, these plays seem violent, yet from the players’ vantage point, they are powerful examples of will.
I will never play in the NFL; I couldn’t even if I tried. However, commentators of these games, often former players themselves, frequently remark that these moments are about “who wants it more.” Which team is willing to fight for that extra inch? Which players will continue to push forward when their opponents seem to give up? Will the ball carrier keep twisting and turning until they cross the goal line, or will their legs get tangled and trip them up before they reach their destination?
The parallel to the Christian life is clear. There are moments when our enemy presses hard on us, trying to make us quit, or when we find ourselves tangled in a struggle and hesitate to continue. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Who wants it more?” This is reflected in the message from Paul in Philippians 3.
In Philippians 3:10-14 – “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 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. 13 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Notice the words Paul uses: attain, press on, take hold of, and straining—all indicate struggle and effort. Paul does not aim to relax; he wants to put forth maximum effort. He understands that the goal is a prize, one that deserves our utmost commitment.
If our goal is to attain the resurrection of the dead, we should emulate Paul and continue to press on. One may imagine that Paul, of all people, would feel secure, yet he is keenly aware of how easily we can become distracted. Therefore, he encourages his readers not to give up.
What we see here is a mental shift. Paul knows that the victory is already secured—“Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Now, it is his opportunity to take hold of Christ and never let go. Many times in our lives, we may not see the end as clearly as Paul does, but he provides a compelling example of how our lives should be conducted. It is not about quitting or neglecting our effort; it is about pressing on and straining. It is about asking the question, “How much do you want it?”