The Bread of Life
Daily Devotionals - Prayers - Spiritual Growth - Words of Wisdom
 

Today's Devotional

Forget What Is Behind And Strain To What Is Ahead (Philippians 3:10-14)

Forgetting What Lies Behind And Straining Forward To What Lies Ahead.
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.“ (Philippians 3:10-14.)

It is always so easy for us to stay stuck in the affairs of this world, along with our past regrets. 
When we look back on our lives we regret things we did, or things we did not do, and sometimes we do wish we made different decisions. 
But the truth is, we can’t change the past, no matter how hard we try.  
It’s okay to look at the past to grow, learn, and remember God’s faithfulness. 
But it’s not okay to look at the past and live with regrets and perhaps shame.
God doesn't throw darts of guilt, or shame. 
Those are from Satan. As we read the Gospel, it reminds us of God's wonderful promise to us. 
He promises to be our helper, to be with us, and never forsake us, (Hebrews 13:5-6.). 
So we must be aware that when we choose to accept Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and submit our minds, bodies and all our lives to Him, the devil our enemy, starts to fight us in a very wicked way, which is, reminding us with our sins and fills us with the sense of guilt and shame. 
He wants to hinder our path with Jesus and not receive His forgiveness. 
He reminds us with every time we have surrendered to his temptations and of the sins we have done in the past in order to shame us with a past full of transgressions against God’s commandment. 
When we live a life looking at past regrets, we stay stuck and are unable to move forward in what Jesus is calling us to. 
We might feel like we have one foot forward and one foot stuck in our past. 
But we must remember, Jesus gives us forgiveness of sins in His precious blood. 
He redeems us and offers grace so that we don’t have to stay stuck in the past regrets of this world. 
He has called us to be the children of God. 
St. Paul is calling us to look forward to what lies ahead. 
He encourages us to press on to reach the end of the race so that we can receive the heavenly prize that God is calling us to. 
He then goes on to say throughout the chapter that we are citizens of Heaven, and what we have ahead waiting for us is far greater than what this world offers us. 
When we forget the past, and look forward to what lies ahead and focus on Jesus’ life and light we will gain the eternal prize, which is, being glorified with Him. 
When we have this mindset of pressing forward, we are reminded that it’s not worth staying stuck in the past. 
Apostle Paul himself is a great example of someone who didn’t stay hung up on past regrets. 
He was a persecutor and murderer of Christians. 
Yet through his pressing on and abiding in the love of Jesus, the church was built and grew. 
With the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul was able to move forward and be the bearer of the mission of Christ and the Gospel everywhere. 
St. Paul is encouraging each one of us to let go of our past sins and failures, and press on toward what God has prepared ahead for us. 
Amen.

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