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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Today is New Year's Eve, the final day of this devotional journey. Having spent a month finding rest in submission, serving in humility, and anchoring our souls in God's providence, we turn our gaze toward the future. The apostle Paul, much like us at the end of a year, recognized the need to set aside the past—its failures, disappointments, and even its past successes—to focus on the future hope. He models the final, crucial step of an unhurried faith: moving forward with intentional focus and belief in God’s plan.

The unhurried Christian life doesn't get stuck in reflection or regret; it uses the lessons of the past year to press on toward the goal that God has prepared. The call to "forgetting what is behind" is not a command for amnesia, but a call to consciously release the emotional and mental burdens of the past year that would otherwise hinder our progress. This release allows us to "strain toward what is ahead," which is the future hope and calling that God has prepared for us in the coming year.

This is the time to set a "God-sized" goal—a resolution that is so ambitious that it can only be achieved with God's power. This kind of goal requires us to anticipate what God will do and pray for the faith to pursue it. It moves us out of a passive, anxious waiting and into an active, confident partnership with the Holy Spirit. As we conclude our "Unhurried Christmas," we step into the new year not with a hurried checklist of self-improvement, but with a deeply rooted confidence that the unhurried God, who was faithful in the quietness of the manger and the chaos of the census, will certainly guide our steps toward the prize of our heavenly calling.

Write down a goal for the new year that can only be achieved with God's power (a "God-sized" goal) and pray for the faith to pursue it.

Questions for Reflection

1. What specific failure or success from the past year are you tempted to "get stuck in," and what practical step can you take to forget that one thing and release its hold on your mind?

2. What is the "prize" or calling that you believe God is pointing you toward right now, and how does your "God-sized" goal directly contribute to it?

3. How can the unhurried focus on Christ, which you've practiced this month, sustain your faith and resolve to pursue a "God-sized" goal throughout the year, rather than giving up after the first few weeks?