I have been stuck before and one of the most difficulty things to do when your stuck is to get unstuck. The apostle Paul offers an amicable and viable solution for getting unstuck in Philippians 3:13-14. He said, “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and pressing toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
The word forgetting in this passage of text means “no longer caring for, neglecting, refusing to focus on.” As you most likely know, our memories store millions of pieces of information gained through our senses since birth. Some experiences are impossible to forget, and any effort to forget them only makes them more prominent. Paul is not advising a total memory wipe; he is telling us to focus on what the present and the future has to offer, rather than what the past has taken or stolen.
Some of you reading this message know that nothing hinders present service quite like being mired in another time. When we model Paul’s forgetfulness we literally count the past as nothing. We get unstuck and we cut the chord(s) that tie us to that bygone moments. We refuse to allow past successes to inflate our pride and we refuse to allow past failures to deflate our self-worth. We leave it behind and instead adopt our new identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Here’s a bit of good news and confirmation for you to ponder; if God chooses not to remember your past sins (Hebrews 8:12), you too can choose to set them aside as well and focus on the present and embrace the future He promises to those who love Him (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 2:10).
4GIVEN 