Last night at youth, I talk to our students about how living in the past can hinder a believer from pleasing God in the present. If we are honest with ourselves, many of us are controlled by our past. Scores of books and movies have displayed this theme and are popular because the audience can relate.Believers are to avoid being controlled by the past. Author Warren Wiersbe affirmed, “The believer should be future oriented.” The Apostle Paul demonstrates this mentality by stating, “But one thing I do: ‘Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead’” (Philippians 3:13). Paul did not block certain events of his past from his mind, but refused to be influenced by those things. According to Wiersbe, “No mature person can forget what has happened in the past. We may wish that we could erase certain bad memories, but we cannot. ‘To forget’ in the Bible means ‘no longer to be influenced by or affected by.’”
To not be hindered by the past, one must understand, as Paul did, that godliness has not been attained and is to be pursued. One who is focused on past failures and/or successes will be slowed in their pursuit of godliness. Wiersbe asserted, “One mark of (Paul’s) maturity is the knowledge that he is not perfect! The mature Christian honestly evaluates himself and strives to do better.” For example, we would not expect an athlete to pull up before the finish line and take time to marvel or criticize the race he or she has run. In the same way, believers must not let the past negatively affect their present quest for godliness.
Wiersbe, Warren W. Philippians. The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament Volume 2. Colorado Springs: Cook Communications Ministries, 89.
