Hold True

“Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭

These words convicted me “Hold true to what you have attained.” I have been a Christian about thirty-eight years. How many truths have I attained, but not held on to? I only need ready back through my journals and see lessons that I was so passionate about in the moment, that have somehow slipped from my daily life.

Merriam-Webster defines attained as a transitive verb. 1 : to reach as an end : gain, achieve attain a goal. 2 : to come into possession of : obtain he attained preferment over his fellows. 3 : to come to as the end of a progression or course of movement

Maybe the truth is that although I have heard it, and maybe even understood a little, I have not possessed these truths because they are not still being lived out in my life. The Blue Letter Bible defines “we have attained” Lexicon :: Strong’s G5348 – phthanō – to come to, arrive at. I know that I am responsible for what I hear. My life should be directed towards those truths that I have come to, arrived at.

Complacency is the enemy to living out and hold true to what I have attained. If I am not moving forward, I am losing ground. The earth moves whether I do or not. It is too easy to let go of things that I learn if I am not actively putting them in to practice. If I am not daily living out what I believe and know, I am losing ground.

I am grateful that God’s grace covers me, that His Spirt can bring back to remembrance everything that I have attained. He often brings to memory at just the right time things that I have forgotten about. I just don’t want to live like I am taking Him for granted. I know He will always do His part, but I need to do my part too. I need to hold true to what the Word of God has taught me. I need to hold true to the lessons Holy Spirit has taught me. I need to hold true to move forward in the direction of the truths I have attained.