Pressing On By Forgetting
I have talked with a couple of families this month who have said the same thing: “I cannot wait to get out of 2016.”
They are ready for a new year to have a new start and try again. Each of the families has had major struggles throughout the year. Maybe 2016 has been a rough year for you as well. The death of loved ones, job loss, divorce, trouble with grown children can all lead to tremendous stress and difficult days.
Maybe your 2016 had too many tough experiences and fewer great experiences. Here is the good news: this Sunday brings a new start called 2017.
In the book of Philippians, Paul gave some great direction on how to make a new start in Christ. While explaining how he had not yet arrived at where the Lord was growing him, Paul says: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 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” (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV).
Paul’s goal was to know Christ completely. He wanted to walk with Christ, live for Christ, and be sold out to Christ. But, in his transparency, Paul stated that he had not yet arrived. Neither have you and neither have I. We all have room to grow.
For Paul to continue to grow toward his goal, he described two steps that were necessary. Step one: Paul must forget what was behind. For Paul to move forward, he had to leave some things in the past. We also need to leave some things. Past mistakes need to be learned from then forgotten. Sins that we have committed need to be confessed, turned from, and left behind. Experiences that we cannot change need to be turned over to the Lord so we can move on. To be all God is growing us to be, we must forget some things from the past.
Step two: Paul had to strain toward what is ahead. He had to be intentional. He had to make some changes. He needed to nail down some commitments. He had to move toward what was ahead of him. We also need to look forward. If you are going to be walking closer to Jesus in 2017, you must be intentional about it.
Maybe your church attendance has slipped. Change that. Maybe your devotional time has become stale or sporadic. Fix that. Maybe sin has become more habitual in your life. Confess that. Whatever it is going to take for you to be more in line with who God wants you to be, take those steps.
That which is slowing you down, forget it and leave it. That which will help you grow, embrace it and renew it.
Make 2017 all God wants it to be for you in Him.