“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)
Move Forward
As an athlete, you’re sometimes told to have a short memory. The idea of having a short memory is most prominent when a big mistake is made (strikeout, turnover, error, missed free throw, etc.). We learn from the mistake, make an adjustment and move forward. Otherwise, carrying the weight of your mistake into your next opportunity almost always sets us up for failure.
How about carrying your past successes? What if Eagles quarterback Nick Foles stopped practicing because he led the team to a Super Bowl victory last season? He can’t just hang it up, he still has a job to do! Constantly basking in the “good ole days” keeps you tied to the past as well. You’re actually making the agreement that God has nothing better for your future when you’re unable to let go of a past success.
Dr. Tony Evans, a chaplain of the Dallas Mavericks, says, “God is calling you forward. He’s calling you to take hold of your inheritance, authority and domain. But you’ll never get there if the past is weighing you down. It’s time for you to have a funeral for yesterday.”
Whether you’re following Jesus for the first time or have known Him for a while, leave your past failures behind. You’re forgiven! Jesus gives you the ability to repent and be a new creation. Let your past blessings only serve as a beautiful memory that pushes you toward His future faithfulness.
— Ryan Noelte
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