Running with Purpose

Are you running hard but not sure where you’re headed? Don’t miss God’s clear goal for your life.

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

“I want to know Christ—yes, 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 from the dead.”
(Philippians 3:10–11)

I remember being in Spain during the Euro Cup soccer tournament, and the streets were filled with people dancing, cheering, and climbing on poles. I joined in, swept up in the moment, but then it hit me… What are we celebrating? I didn’t know who scored, what game had been won, or what the tournament was even about. I was all in, but with no clue why. That moment struck me spiritually in how easy it is to get caught up in the rhythms of our faith such as church, ministry, and even spiritual habits without a clear sense of why we’re doing it all. Like the apostle Paul in Philippians 3, we need a clear goal: to know Christ and be conformed to Him.

Paul wasn’t running for popularity, position, or success. He was pursuing a person. In Philippians 3:10, he writes, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Paul’s goal wasn’t performance or a religious routine. He longed to know the person of Jesus, which meant sharing in His resurrection power, sharing in His sufferings and even being willing to follow Him when it hurt. For Paul, it wasn’t a passive faith but an active pursuit. Many people say that they know about Jesus, but Paul was after something deeper. He knew the Christian life wasn’t about personal perfection but about a relentless pursuit of Jesus.

Maybe today you’re running hard but you’re not entirely sure where you’re headed. You’ve poured yourself into ministry, stayed busy with good things, and built a full life, but deep down, you wonder what it’s all ultimately moving toward. It’s like a marathon runner who trains for months, only to realize somewhere along the way that he’s been running the wrong course. Strength alone isn’t enough in this life—we all need direction.

Friend, God’s purpose for your life is far greater than comfort or success. It’s to truly know Him and to be transformed by your relationship with Him, not just by spiritual activity. It’s a lifelong pursuit that gives meaning to every season, every struggle, and every step along the way.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, don’t let me run aimlessly. Give me clarity, not just in what I do but in why I do it. Help me to make knowing You the highest pursuit of my life. I want to share in Your resurrection power, to walk with You in suffering, and to be conformed more into Your likeness. Guard me from empty routines or surface-level faith. Stir up in me a deep desire to pursue You with everything I am. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Listen to the sermon: Pressing Towards a Clear Spiritual Goal

Part 1Part 2

Ministry Update from Mark

When I was seventeen and working in a quiet beach town in Southern France as a dishwasher, everything changed on a simple bench near the river adjacent to the restaurant. I was caught in a fog of uncertainty where ministry seemed vague and I was full of questions I didn’t know how to ask.

But God met me each morning through a book called The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer. Something began stirring in my heart as a result, and that summer I stopped asking, “What should I do?” and started asking, “Who is God, and who is He calling me to become?”

More than 40 years later, I can see how that confusing season gave way to clarity, the silence that made room for God’s whisper. So if you’re in a fog, take heart as God does some of His best work in quiet seasons and ordinary places.