“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

Few of us possess notable powers of concentration. The reason for this lack is we do not live for a single purpose and clear goals. Our pursuits splatter all over the map. Paul was a man who incorporated definition into his life. He knew the destiny of his life.

“But one thing I do”

Even though Paul did not arrive at ultimate spiritual maturity, this does not mean he was ineffective. The phrase “one thing I do” means concentrated purpose. He was a man of a consolidated goal.

Paul could have chosen many options, but he chose only one. His life was not like a shotgun blast but like a rifle shot. Many purposes spread us so thin we become ineffective. We do so many things that all we can do is one squirt’s worth for each. We spread ourselves thin. Businesses are often short-handed, which is why we suffer such poor service. Too few employees do too much. Few can do their jobs with excellence. People with better ability snatch better-paying jobs. Those with lesser ability reduce the quality of workmanship. It is better to focus on God’s plan for us and stick with it.

This is similar language to Matthew 6:22,23:

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

The eye is not the light. It catches the light and enables us to see. The light that gets into the soul is dependent upon the spiritual state of the eye. The word “good” in the phrase “your eye is good” means your eye is healthy. The eye can see clearly because it is healthy. The whole body will be “full of light;” that is, the person will see eternal values. However, if the eye “be evil” (out of order), the soul will be full of darkness. If our focus is on eternal values, it is because we tune in spiritually.

PRINCIPLE: 

God wants us to concentrate on His purpose for us in time.

APPLICATION: 

Do you keep eternal values in view? Is your life a reflection of spiritual light shining in your soul? If so, you will experience personal growth in your soul.