Stop Looking Back

Verse of the day: Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

Have you ever tried walking a long distance looking back? Not an easy task. I remember walking with my mom, and one of my cousins, a long time ago, and trying to make the point that I could still see without having my glasses on. Well, I no sooner took my glasses off, and turned my head to engage them (taking my eyes off of the direction that we were walking in) when I literally walked into a pole. Painful then, funny now. Nonetheless, I tell you that to say that too many of us are living our Christian life that way. If the devils aren't reminding us of our past failures, people are. We spend way too much time living in the past, our past mistakes, and bad choices (and the opinions of others, based on those past choices). Can I encourage us today to focus our attention on where we are going (and Who is leading us), rather than where we have been? We cannot change the past; all we can do is learn from it. As born again believers, our past has been washed under the blood of Jesus. We have been forgiven, and He holds no grudges. As far as east is from the west has He put our sins away from us (Ps 103:12). Now our focus should be on moving forward, and allowing God to teach us from what has already passed, and what He is allowing in our life today, to make us more like our Savior (Rom 8:28-29). We must run this race called life with our eyes on our Forerunner (Heb 6:20), and Captain (Heb 2:10). We must not faint, but strive to finish the race God has called us to (2 Tim 4:7). Our calling is from on high; it is a heavenly calling. It will entail maintaining a holy, and righteous life (in Christ) in the midst of suffering, and struggles; but in the end it will be worth it, because eternity with our God is worth more than any suffering we endure here on earth (1 Pet 1:6-7). So today, let us take our eyes off of what has passed, and cannot be changed. Let us look forward to what is to come, and know that God has started a work in each of us that He promised to complete (Phil 1:6; we are the only ones hindering that process). Praise be to God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). In Him, we have the final victory. So hold your head up (staying focused on Jesus, and Heaven), stop looking back, and continue striving, and running forward for our ultimate, and eternal, prize (1 Cor 9:24-27).