“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)
As ministers of the Gospel, once in a while, we are impressed by the Spirit to remind our audiences to examine their personal lives and see if any element needs God’s attention. Generally, regular self-examination is not a bad thing if it reminds us (1) that we have not achieved the prize yet, and (2) that we must focus on the end of the race.
At ending periods of life (day, week, month, year, birthdays, etc), we tend to review the past and lament about what was not achieved. Personal failures, lost opportunities, weaknesses, broken relationships, and so forth and so on . . . .
If handled properly, such reviews are healthy and good for us. It takes a mentally tough, almost calloused approach to not get depressed. Yet, most of us dwell too long on the past, when our current focus should be ahead of us. Looking back only saps our courage and strength.
Some practical considerations may be in order here to help us firmly grasp just how important this can be to us. When riding a surfboard, don’t look back. Focus on the beach. When running from a mugger, never look back to see if he is gaining on you. Focus on getting to safety. When racing, never look back to see how close the competition is, focus on the finish line.
A scriptural principle reinforces this concept: “forget the past and look ahead; race toward the goal.” Forget past failures. Focus on finishing. Forget hurt feelings. Focus on forgiveness. Forget grievances. Focus on grace. Forget what’s behind. Focus on what’s ahead. Of course, these are not mere platitudes of positive thinking. Indeed, it isn’t easy to even think about them in the heat of the moment. Instead, they must become habitual in our thinking and practice so that they automatically implement when needed.
In the same way we remember the past, we must also remember that we cannot fix the past. Today is a new day! Tomorrow is on the horizon! The end of our race is in front of us! God is cheering us on toward the prize!
Dear Father, thank you for calling us in Christ Jesus and for the prize that is ahead. Give us the fortitude to not wallow in self-pity over the past, but to focus on the finish line ahead. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today by focusing on your future,