As we begin a new year, a new month, a new week, and a new day, we must do something obvious but sometimes difficult for some of us to do—forget the past. The simple reality is that yesterday ended last night and today starts where yesterday ends and gives us another opportunity to do life again or differently.
The apostle Paul, writing to the Philippians Christians wrote about how he deals with his past: “forgetting those things which are behind.” One thing is that your past is behind you and not ahead. What has happened yesterday is behind you and what will happen to you is ahead of you. This tells me that what is ahead of you is greater than what is behind you. What you have done is minimal to what you can do. Your past is inconsequential to what God wants to do in your future. Remember the path of the just is as a shining light that shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day (Pro 4: 18). So the apostle Paul wrote:
"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3: 12-14)
Today gives you another way to look at life—objectively. Looking at the future through the lens of the past will cause you to be subjective about everything regarding your life. Today gives you the ability to do something new with your life. Today also gives you the opportunity to continue to do whatever is good and lovely that you have started but did not have enough time to finish yesterday. You cannot be optimistic about today if all your focus is on the good things that did not happen yesterday. Focusing on the past will shortchange you. In fact, it is an act of self-sabotaging. It will weaken you and limit your potential.
Some of us struggle with letting go of the past. So, we become a victim of our mistakes, failures, hurts, disappointments, frustrations, and the pain that happened in our past. Some of us have been allowing the memory of the past to replay itself in our minds every day. Some of us have used the negative things people have said as the building blocks of our future. No wonder our lives are crumbling before us and we are helpless and powerless to do anything about it. And we are not getting anywhere. The memory will not serve us if we allow it to only replay the events of the past. Our memory can confuse and play games with our imagination. We will not only create stories when we live in the present; otherwise, we will be stuck in our history.
We need to put an end to the past to embrace the future. We need to let go of the past to take hold of our future. The truth is our past can prevent us from experiencing life in the moment. Focusing on our past will cause us to always look back. If we continue to look back, we will shrink back and the Bible advised us that God has no pleasure in those who do that (Heb 10: 38).
Focusing on the past will get you stuck in there. It will prevent you from seeing the opportunities that are trapped in the present. If you allow the past to consume your energy, you will never get ahead. Focusing on the past will not allow you to enjoy the present.
Yesterday ended last night and today starts where yesterday ends.
Some of us have been hurt in the past and this experience has stopped us from making friends with other people that can and will be helpful to our greatness. It is about time you forgave them so that you don’t see others and relate with them based on your bad experience. Another thing is that some of us need to forgive ourselves for the role we have played in the way we have lived in the past. God has forgiven you but you must extend it to yourself.
If there is one thing you MUST do this year to move ahead, you must forget the past. There is nothing in the past except the experience you have garnered. God sees the future. God believes in your future. God is inviting you into the future. God is calling you into the future. The question is: are you ready for what He has in store for you?
