Don't let the Past Keep you from Living your Best Life - Pastor Johnny Marten
The call to forget what is behind starts with Paul in Philippians, but Paul does not speak as a man who had it easy. Paul could have looked like a spiritual giant from far away, the man who wrote so much of the New Testament and had a clear calling from God. But Paul’s own story says, “Woah, woah, wait just a minute.” His life was not smooth. His past included persecuting believers, getting people killed, being whipped, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, hungry, cold, and finally writing about joy and pressing on while sitting in prison.
Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus and changed everything. Jesus showed him that all his religious confidence was wrong, and Jesus also forgave him when Paul saw himself as one of the biggest sinners of all. Because Christ had taken hold of him, Paul could say one thing mattered now: forgetting what is behind and reaching toward what is ahead. The past did not get to be the boss anymore.
The same question then presses on the heart: what is the one thing a person wishes could be moved on from? A bad decision may have cost friendships, family, marriage, or money. A wound from someone else may still be there, whether abuse, a cold word, a lie, a broken promise, or manipulation. God can forgive, but the heart still has to face whether it will receive that forgiveness and move forward.
Unresolved bitterness keeps proving itself when a person says, “I already forgave,” but keeps waking up with the same complaint, dumping it on whoever will listen. The picture of the low spot on a property makes it plain. Pumping water out over and over does not fix the problem if water keeps flowing in from the same corner. The dam has to go where the water is coming from. In the same way, peace often requires going to the person where the hurt came from and talking it through, even if the conversation is uncomfortable.
Philippians 4 gives another way forward: “Do not worry about anything,” but pray about everything with thanksgiving. Worry over things that cannot be controlled only steals the day. Prayer puts the matter in God’s hands, and God’s peace guards the heart and mind in Christ Jesus. The mind also has to choose what it chews on: whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
Today has to be received as today. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is not promised. Paul knew need and plenty, hunger and fullness, but he learned contentment because Christ gave him strength. The deepest point is not just knowing Bible stories. A personal relationship with Christ is where the strength comes from to stand firm, pray, forgive, make peace, and live forward.