The Apostle Paul was an encourager. He had a way of saying things that generated motivation and confidence. Philippians 3:12-14 is an example of this.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Twice he says he presses on. And between those two times he says he strains forward. The Christian life is HARD. And Paul is no exception. He had to work at it.
But it is good to note that Paul had a motivation we sometimes miss out on. Paul saw Jesus as so great, so good, so loving, so magnificent, and so desirable that to to “press on” and “strain forward” had a lot of umph and grit behind it.
Keep your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
The Men's Bible Reading Idea 