Don't Look Back

Have you ever tried to run in a straight path while looking backward? When I was about 12, I was at a birthday party at a sports complex. With all of my friends around I thought I would be cool and jump on the treadmill and run backwards. Needless to say, that wasn’t one of my proudest moments; however, it was one of my most embarrassing. With all of my friends around I fell flat on my behind and went flying off of the treadmill. I learned a lesson that day, you can’t go forwards and backward at the same time. In fact, there is a reason that the review mirror in a vehicle is small and the windshield is large, it’s because you are meant to focus on what’s ahead instead of what’s behind. God wants you to focus on the vision of what’s ahead and not your past. Our pasts can put limits on us that frustrate our future. Past experiences, good or bad, can divert us from the path forward into the future God has ahead.

The Apostle Paul talks about his past in Philippians 3:10-13. In these verses, Paul is expressing his desire to grow forward into becoming more like Christ and walking in God’s purpose. He reminds us that in the race God calls us to there is always a pressing forward to obtain what God has for us. Paul says he hasn’t arrived at the fullness of his faith yet, but to go forward, he has to do this one thing. Philippians 3:13 reads, “ I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what’s ahead.” Paul is reminding us that in order to move in the next of what God has for us, we need to forget some things. If you are constantly meditating on what’s behind it will keep you stuck, and even like my treadmill experience, keep knocking you on your behind. If your past was bad, learn from it and forget it. Don’t allow it to remind you of who you used to be. Thank God that’s not you anymore. You are pressing forward to become all that God has intended you to be. Labels from a past mistake or season can be removed! If you had a great past, it can keep you stuck too. You can get caught in the mentality that your best days are behind you. That’s not true! God is always making your path brighter and brighter. Ask God for fresh vision that your best days are just ahead!

If you’ve been stuck by your past, let it go today. Focus forward on the good things that are ahead! Stop meditating on former things and run your race with perseverance! Focus forward in Jesus’ Name, no looking back!