Looking Ahead: Acknowledge That It Is a Process

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. (Philippians 3:13)

So, you have admitted that you haven’t arrived, you are working on having a God-focused attitude and now you need to acknowledge that it is a process.

In Philippians 3:13, Paul acknowledges that there is a process involved in pressing on toward his goal. He forgets the past, putting it behind him, and strains (reaches forth) toward what is ahead. Paul could have allowed the fact that he was responsible for persecuting believers affect his ability to preach the good news. Instead, he let go of the past and concentrated on what lay ahead.

Putting our past behind us can be one of the most difficult things to do. It is so easy to keep the past with you in the present and even drag it into the future. Understanding our past as much as we are able helps us realize what changes we need to make in the present and it gives us the encouragement we need as we focus on what God has for us.

But, we can’t stay in the past. We must move through the process. So, gain an understanding of your past and move forward!

Question to think about: Reflecting on Paul’s process, what is something from your past that may be holding you back from moving forward with your goals?