Focusing Forward

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When I sat down to choose an image for the coloring page to accompany this devotional, I wanted something that would bring to life the message in Philippians 3:13: “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”

The image I chose shows a man jogging down a city street. The buildings around him fade off into the background, and a car is parked by the side of the road. At first glance, it may seem like just a simple scene, but to me, there’s so much more happening in this image that perfectly illustrates the journey of letting go of the past and embracing the future God has planned for us.

As I colored the page, I couldn’t help but think about how the fading buildings in the background represent the past—the achievements, dreams, family traditions, or expectations that we’ve held onto. While all of these things have shaped who we are, sometimes they need to be left behind. Like the buildings fading into the distance, they shouldn’t hold us back from moving forward to what God has next for us.

Then, there’s the car, sitting quietly on the side of the street. The man’s eyes are looking away from the road, not straight ahead where he’s headed. To me, that car represents all the distractions and temptations that can easily pull us off course. Whether it’s a shiny new opportunity, a past success, or even a fear of failure, it’s so easy to take our eyes off the path God wants us to walk and glance at something that may not be part of His plan.

What struck me even more is how the man’s gaze is turned toward the side, like he’s being lured into chasing something outside of his direction. It reminded me of my own temptation to rush ahead of God, to sprint forward in excitement without stopping to pray and wait for His guidance. In my own life, I often feel that urge to go faster—thinking I know the next step, thinking I’m ready, but forgetting that this race isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon, and we need God’s timing and wisdom every step of the way.

When I colored this page, I used layered colors to draw attention to the details in the foreground, keeping them sharper and brighter, while allowing the background to remain light and faded. I didn’t color the buildings in the back at all, allowing them to blend into the page. This was intentional. I wanted to give the image depth, perspective, and a sense of focus—much like we’re called to keep our attention on what’s right in front of us, not getting caught up in the past or distracted by what’s happening around us.

There are so many things battling to steal our hope. But guess what? We’re still here, and hopefully, we’re feeling a little stronger, a little wiser. As we face challenges, we gain new perspectives and a fresh way of seeing the world. But sometimes, that excitement can become a little distracting. It's like training for a race—you’ve been working hard, feeling pumped, but if you’re constantly looking at the competition or thinking about past successes, you might crash right into the next hurdle.

So often, in our excitement to move forward, we might even want to rush ahead of God. We get an idea about what God is calling us to do, or we see an opportunity to help someone, and before we know it, we’re off and running. But this race is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about taking each step with God, listening for His voice, and trusting in His perfect timing.

So let’s remember to keep our eyes on the prize—on God. Let’s not let the past weigh us down or distractions pull us away from what He has for us. Let’s keep pushing forward with faith, patience, and a steady pace, knowing that we’re in this race together.

Access the entire study in Regaining Hope. Click here.