6th October Forget the Past Philippians 3:13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Precious one, I think its important to understand at the outset that when Paul talks about is not referring to erasing the past. Look at this, when a person hits the delete key the information disappears from the screen but it is still in the computer’s memory. Although it has been deleted it may still be found. The information is not erased or permanently and irrecoverably gone. It can be recovered. Though we cant erase our past we can forget it in the sense that Paul is saying in this context. Ok, Launce, what is Paul saying when he tells us to forget the past? Is he not asking as to do something that seemingly is mentally and emotionally impossible? I believe Paul is saying that we are to forget the past in the sense that we do not allow our past sins, failures, hurts, and disappointments to keep us from experiencing God’s best for our lives today. For many, their past is holding them hostage. They are being held hostage by past failures, mistakes, and disappointments. In our theme verse, Paul is encouraging us to break out of the hostage situation. He is saying, don’t allow the past to hold you in bondage. Don’t be a prisoner of your past. He offers himself as the best example of this concept. Despite his misguided persecution of the Church, which could have resulted in immense and debilitating personal guilt, He did not succumb to its power to imprison him. He said in Timothy, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Pauls testimony provides a window of hope for anyone who would insist I am who I am, I cannot change…my circumstances, my situation is set in concrete it cannot change. Look at me, Paul says. See the grace of God at work. Past blunders, mistakes, failures and hurts need not have a stranglehold on your life. Grace is a key that opens the door to freedom from the tyranny of your past. God’s grace will allow you to move past your past. If not, your past may keep you from experiencing God’s best today. Focus on the now and the things ahead and stop looking back, else like Lots wife you might turn into a pillar of salt. #Sweet Breath Devotion#
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 06:06:13 +0000
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