Forgetting What Is Behind

We were out on an adventure the other day and my two year old was running out ahead of us, eager for the next part of the fun. The path we were on was paved with gravel, so there were both smaller and larger rocks along the way. Stephen was running well as long as he kept his eyes on what was ahead of him, but occasionally he would turn his head to see if we were still following him and he would trip on the larger pieces of gravel and fall down.

Michelle pointed out to me that we often do the same thing in our lives. We will get out ahead and we will be doing well at leaving the past behind and then we will turn around and lose our focus on what is ahead by paying attention to what we have left behind. And that is when we’ll stumble.

The sins of our past have been dealt with at the cross of Christ. If we continually look back at them, they will cause us to stumble over and over again. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he talks about what he does in order to obtain the victory that Christ has already won. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14)

Is there anything in your past you need to leave behind? Do it!! There is so much more in store for us when we allow God to really set us free from the burdens that have weighed us down and kept us from moving forward.