"but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” -Pillipians 3:13-14
There are two basic ways we as a Christians can stop looking backwards and start to walk forward. For one we must let go of wrongs done to us in the past. If things that people have done or said in the past are still affecting you presently there's a good chance you haven't forgiven them. We cannot move forward unless we let go of wrongs done. Forgiveness means just that; to let go, to release, to leave behind, and no longer keep in the mind! Joseph after many years of hardship due to the betrayal of his brothers years earlier finally lets go and forgets about what they did to him. Joseph has two sons Manassah and EPhraim. There names put together mean "forgetfulness and fruitfulness". This further illustrates that unless we forgive and forget yesterday's wrongs we will not be fruitful today and tomorrow. We cannot change the past but we can make sure it isn't repeated.
Secondly if we are to move forward with God's will and purposes for our life we must let go of who we used to be. I've heard Christians say this many times "Oh back in the day I was somebody, people respected me" or "you're lucky I'm a Christian now or else I'd really teach you a lesson" as if they were stuck in the past. All that is is the flesh, that's the old man that has got to go. God wants to choke out the old man and old woman you used to be every time it rises to the surface. We cannot move forward with our upward call if we are looking back and trusting in the old person we used to be. Again all that is pride that has got to go out like yesterday's trash. It's like maneur that we have to grow out of. It stinks but the further you grow from it the less you can smell it.
Listen you cannot move forward unless you stop looking backwards!
Secondly if we are to move forward with God's will and purposes for our life we must let go of who we used to be. I've heard Christians say this many times "Oh back in the day I was somebody, people respected me" or "you're lucky I'm a Christian now or else I'd really teach you a lesson" as if they were stuck in the past. All that is is the flesh, that's the old man that has got to go. God wants to choke out the old man and old woman you used to be every time it rises to the surface. We cannot move forward with our upward call if we are looking back and trusting in the old person we used to be. Again all that is pride that has got to go out like yesterday's trash. It's like maneur that we have to grow out of. It stinks but the further you grow from it the less you can smell it.
Listen you cannot move forward unless you stop looking backwards!
- IF YOU PHYSICALLY WALK FORWARDS LOOKING BACKWARDS WHAT ARE YOU BOUND TO DO REPEATEDLY?
- "Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free.. Realizing that you were that prisoner." -Max Lucado