HOW CAN MY PAST HELP MY PRESENT?

“ I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 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 3:12-14.

There’s not much we can do about the past. Each of us has regrets, maybe some strong feelings of disappointment about what we failed to do in the past. But can we fix it? The answer is no, but for better or worse, how we lived in the past will most likely determine how we live in the present. Overcoming the past can seem like a large hurdle.

Paul tells us in Philippians 3 of his desire to grow in Christ and to know Him. Paul emphasizes the importance of leaving the past behind, focusing on the future, and actively pressing on towards becoming more Christ-like, viewing our spiritual journey as a race where we strive to reach the prize of eternal life with God, achieved through our unwavering pursuit of Christ. Paul readily admits that he has not arrived and has a way to go, and the only way to get there is to press forward toward the goal and prize set by God and not look back to the past.

“… Forgetting the past…” (v. 13). We can look at the past and learn from the past, but we can’t live in the past. We have to give our past to Jesus. Paul’s advice to us? Forget about it. Don’t dwell on the past. Don’t fix your mind on yesterday — or even past years. Don’t waste time reliving a past achievement. And don’t beat yourself up for a past mistake when you’ve already sought God’s forgiveness. Move ahead and pursue God. The gospel changes our view of the past, and it changes us. We can let God use our personal history as we cooperate with Him and point others to Jesus.

“…and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (v. 13). This phrase is a mental picture of a runner focused on the finish line. That’s what God wants from us, even though we may be uncomfortable sometimes. The ESV version says, “…straining forward to what lies ahead…” When we stretch ourselves out, strain, reach, fight hard, and do whatever it takes to achieve the goal, we will move forward in our faith and walk with God. Paul would do whatever he had to do to become whatever God wanted him to be.

Our relationship with God is active, not passive. We have to pursue God. We must become more Christlike and live the life He wants us to live. To do that, we must look forward and press toward the goal of the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Discussion Questions:

What areas of your past are you still holding onto that might be preventing you from fully embracing the future God has planned for you?
How can you actively “strain” towards your spiritual goals, focusing on what will bring you closer to Christ?
What does it mean to you to consider your life as a race towards a heavenly prize?