The verses Philippians 3: 13 & 14 are widely known, but here’s a refresher: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
“Forgetting those things which are behind.”
What are those things?
The first thing to forget is past failures. I think we all know how debilitating it can be after we have blown it big time. Maybe there is that one sin that you can’t seem to overcome or you are constantly reminded of the times you allowed yourself to be a coward. Whatever it is, you have to move on. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us that if from all unrighteousness. Christ has set us free! If He is for us, who can stand against us?
The second thing to forget is past successes. Maybe that sounds a little odd. But, have you ever met someone who always talked about the great things he is doing; only to find out those successes took place many years ago? He is stuck in the past and often isn’t busy doing great things anymore. The great things we do the first 25 years of our lives does not give us permission to selfishly coast through the next 25 years.
With this said, don’t go and give yourself self-induced amnesia. God clearly gave us a memory for a reason! We can learn from our past mistakes and successes. We learn to better discern our own actions and to warn others with our past mistakes. We can praise God by remembering what He saved us from and how He is changing us into His likeness. We can also gain encouragement from past successes, remembering where God had us and seeing His faithfulness.
But the point is, your past does not define your future.
Maybe a basketball team misses just about every single shot the first half and their defense was absolutely hideous. Do they grovel and quit? If they are serious about the game, they won’t. Giving up is one of the worst things they could do. Instead, they get back in and throw it into high gear. They accept the challenge and fight harder. Finishing requires integrity and strength.
On the flip side, you can be in the lead for a while. Let’s say this basketball team is on fire tonight; you can pretty much call the game in their favor at the half. Are they allowed to take it easy the rest of the game? No, because nobody really cares about what the score was the first half—the final score is what matters. They have to finish what they started.
We see both of these examples in so many Bible characters as well: Peter denied Christ, but he turned around and God used him to lead 3,000 to the salvation! Noah was the only upright man in the earth before the flood; but he lost sight of the finish line and got drunk. David was doing great until his murderous affair, but he turned back to God and God calls him “a man after His own heart.”
The struggles will continue to come this month, next year, and until our life is complete. But “consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Heb. 12) you have been called to live a life in full force—to endure momentary and light affliction. “Faithful is He who calls you who also will do it.” (1 Thess. 5:24)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12: 1-2) Let’s help one another to continue to live and fight each day for the One that matters.
No comments:
Post a Comment