Jump Start # 461

Philippians 3:13 “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.”

  We love this passage from the beloved Paul. It’s used in many settings today. Some view it as a motivational statement, but it’s much, much more than that. It defined his walk and his attitude in life. Paul continued to press on. There was more to be done. Heaven was near, but he wasn’t there yet.

  The phrase, “forgetting what lies behind,” is fascinating when you give it some thought. All of us have a story. We all have a past. We all carry baggage and we have to deal with issues including sins.

  Some never can move on from their past. Their past defines their present and limits their future. Paul didn’t let that happen. It was a choice, and he chose not to let that happen.

  I can only imagine could have raced through Paul’s mind as a preacher. Remember he spent quite a while chasing down Christians and was responsible for many going to prison and being killed. He felt he was doing right by stamping out the blasphemous cult that followed the false Messiah. He thought that. He was wrong. Now he was one of them. Now he was spreading the gospel. When people heard that Paul was in town, would any show up to hear him preach. Would they ridicule his sermon? Would Jews call him a traitor? Would the Christians forgive him? He may be preaching to a audience that had family members in prison because of what he did.

  Those kind of thoughts can cripple someone. Fear and worry can keep a person in bed all day. Two things happened. These same two things will help us. I don’t anyone reading this this morning has killed anyone, especially because of their faith, but we may have sent stares that were as sharp as daggers. Our words may have killed hope in someone. We may have walked away when we should have stayed, spoken out when we ought to have been quite. We thought it was the right thing to do, but differences and anger led us to do things we shouldn’t.

  First, Paul was forgiven by God. That’s the top of the list. We need that.

  Second, Paul forgave himself. He doesn’t seem to justify it or excuse his actions. But once God has removed the burden of guilt and the penalty of sin, Paul did the same to himself. Many a person would continue to beat themselves us, by saying, “I don’t deserve anything nice,” or, “let them find someone better than me to preach.” Not Paul. He forgave himself. That’s the hardest person to forgive, is ourselves. We can be gentle, forgiving to others, but we expect more of ourselves and we really have a hard time forgiving ourselves.

  Forgetting what lies behind. Does that mean Paul didn’t know what happened in the past? No. He didn’t dwell upon it. His mistakes were buried in an unmarked grave. He didn’t visit that grave and leave flowers, it’s gone. He was done with it, learned some powerful lessons, and was ready for God to use him because God trusted him. That’s what forgiveness will do. Paul had to trust himself.

  Now, there’s one more side to this “forgetting the past” business. Often we do well with it. It’s others that refuse to let us forget. They don’t think or won’t allow a person to change. They hold the broken past over them. With some sins, it may take a while for trust to be regained and restored, but some won’t allow that. One mess up and they put an asterisk by your name and your are forever known by that. People change. People change doctrinally. What they once believed, they may not anymore. Give them a chance. People change morally. People grow. People get stronger.

  Families have a tendency to not let go of the past. Get a group together and they start telling stories of the past, often the same stories, over and over. Some of those stories contain pain and guilt and shame. You have tried to move on, but they won’t forget the past. They remind you. They continue to blame you. They do not want you to move on as Paul did.

  That’s tough. It’s hard to deal with. I expect Paul had some of that in his day. It is mostly from people who refuse to forgive. They feelings turn to bitterness and anger and soon they are eaten up with this stuff. It bothers them that you are not bothered like they are. It bothers them that you have chosen to move on. What they don’t understand is forgiveness. That’s the key. Forgiveness from God and forgiving your self.

  Paul forgot the past…have you? Is it holding you back? Have you sought the forgiveness of God? Have you forgiven yourself? You can’t move on until you do.

Roger