PRESSING TOWARDS THE MARK

WHEN YOUR OLD “68” STOPS WORKING…

David was excited, genuinely excited.

He had just received his first test results in the United States, and even though he barely knew what he was doing during the exam, he still scored 68%. In his mind, that wasn’t just a score; it was a miracle. A solid “God did it.” A respectable B.

So, like any Nigerian student who knows how to celebrate small wins, David rushed to tell his friend.

“Guy! I got 68!”

His friend looked at him for a second. Then he asked, slowly, as if uncertain David was okay: “And you’re happy?”

David almost took offence. “Why wouldn’t I be happy? I didn’t even know anything. I just wrote something and submitted it, and I still got 68. That’s a B na!”

That was when his friend sighed, one of those sighs that carry pity, disappointment, and laughter all at once.

“David… 68 is not B here.”

David frowned. “What do you mean?”

His friend replied calmly: “68 is pass. That’s basically you escaping. A starts from 90.”

That was the moment David’s smile disappeared because suddenly, the same 68 that could have earned him a proud B in Nigeria was now dangerously close to something that sounded like a curse word: F.

And just like that, David realised a painful truth: the mark had changed, and if he wanted to succeed in his new environment, he couldn’t keep celebrating what used to work back home.

David’s story is funny until you realise how many of us are David. Not because we travelled abroad, but because we keep using old standards to measure new seasons. We clap for “68” in a season that requires “90.” We celebrate “at least I tried” in a race that rewards accuracy, not effort.

That’s why the Apostle Paul didn’t say he was pressing toward the prize. He said: “I press toward the mark…” Philippians 3:14

Because you can’t win a race if you’re running without a target. The prize is good, yes, but the mark is what determines who gets it.

Many People Are Running… But Running Wrong

One thing Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr recently emphasised strongly is that the spiritual life is a race, and every race has a mark. The problem is that many people are busy but not focused. They’re praying, fasting, attending meetings, and doing “everything,” yet nothing is changing—not necessarily because they are lazy, but because they are unclear.

It is possible to be serious and still be wrong.

Here’s the truth: God doesn’t appraise noise; He appraises the mark. Not your busyness. Not your activities. Not your “I’ve been trying.” Not your excuses. The mark.

If God expects you to grow spiritually and your focus remains scattered, you may be running, but you’re not hitting the target. If God calls you to build discipline and you’re still living on vibes, you may be moving, but you’re not progressing. This is why clarity is powerful. When you know the mark, you stop running blindly. Your prayer gains direction. Your sacrifices begin to make sense. Your efforts become productive.

This is the question that matters: what is God expecting of you this year?

Not what your friends are doing. Not what is trending. Not what society is clapping for. What is the mark?

For some people, it’s prayer. For others, it’s consistency in the Word. For some, it’s breaking a habit. For others, it’s forgiveness. For some, it’s stepping into service. For others, it’s leaving distractions and becoming serious.

Don’t Just Run—Run to Win

Hebrews 12:1 says: “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us…”

Notice: the race set before us. Not the race set before your neighbour. Not the race you copied from Instagram. The one God designed for you. Find the mark, press toward it and run like someone who actually wants to win.

If this blessed you, drop a comment, share it with others, but most importantly, act on it.