Letting Things Go, Reaching the Goal

Forgetting those things which are behind

Philippians 3:13

Everyone has a past. Some have glorious pasts of achievement, victory and gain. Some have pasts of failures, loss and shame. It is never GOD’s intention for His people to dwell in the past. Being bound by time and space, life’s situations and events that happened to us now happens to us in the here and now. When it is over, the event is left in that time space that GOD intended it to be. The event itself is never to be brought forward. If it is, it will be out of place, and become a mismatch with the next programme. Like a play with many parts, and each part is unique with its context, actors, and scenes, God has purposed that different scenes of our lives be played out in specific parts and that each situation in that part can only be fully understood and appreciated in that part. Any past situations or events that are brought forward can become a burden, a liability.

The past has its use: the memories of a glorious past can be used to enrich our endeavor, encourage our heart and comfort others. Similarly, the mistakes, failures and shame of the past can be utilized for growth, learning and strengthening. However, the achievement was for the past moment, never for the present. The Lord allowed us to have the victory then to encourage our heart. In the failures, or sin, the load of guilt and remorse must be acknowledged but once confessed, forgiven and forsaken, it must be left behind. Otherwise, it can and will become a weight, a liability to the next step of progress.

The great apostle Paul writes for his own growth and for ours: Forget Those Things That Are Behind. The word forget means to “lose the remembering of.” Some people hold on to their past by rehearsal: they keep talking about their failures, their successes. Some use rituals: as in designating special dates of remembrance and following them rigidly. And for what purpose? Is it not to wallow in the past, which for us can become a comfort but at the same time, a snare for our advancement in Christ?

The Lord’s will is for us to lose the remembering of those things which are behind. How are we to do so? By reaching forth unto those things which are before. It is the will of GOD for us to forget by replacement: to reach forward. Many have aspirations of growth; “I will not be lazy with bible reading anymore”. This individual puts away laziness, and nothing more. But a diligent Christian adds “by reading two chapters a day”, as he is giving up laziness . Forgetting the past is a decision, but reaching forward needs, clear positive action.

2013 is approaching: what past do you have that needs to be left behind? Some hatred? Some sin? Some prejudice? Some regret? Identify these things, place them at the cross and let your Saviour deal with them, and then begin to love instead of hate, to do righteousness instead of sin, accept instead of being bias, to hope instead of regretting.

2013 is bright with God’s promises, presence and power. It is bright because He is already there in the future but He is also with us to guide us and has seen the trials and the heartaches we will face, and He has also planned the way of escape and prepared the strength and grace needed. Let us learn to trust Him, forgetting those things that are behind and reaching for those things before.