Forgetting What Is Behind
Thursday March 12, 2015
Brothers and sisters, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV)
When we first come out of our life of rebellion we tend to focus on our past behaviour and the things we have done wrong. For years we tried to cover our pain with addictive substances or destructive behaviour because that was what seemed good at the time. The pain we experienced came from bad things done to us and by us. We felt anger, guilt and shame, often to an overwhelming degree. We suffered injustice and so we felt we deserved comfort and went after comfort in whatever convenient ways we found it. We didn’t question the impact our choices might have on others. We believed others did not consider the impact of their behaviour on us so we felt justified in “doing unto others as others had done to us”. We did what we felt we “had to do” to survive and have a little happiness. Sadly, despite some momentary pleasure, we fell deeper and deeper into sin and heartache. God invites us to shift our focus from what was self-motivated destructive behaviour to a life focused on the healing power of Jesus.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2 NIV))
God wants us to live a satisfying life so we can honestly report to others, “My life is good, pleasing, and perfect.” Most of us stand at that spot today and say, “Sign me up for that life.” Or do we? We know we have problems. We know we need to find a "better way" than using whatever we have chosen in the past to cover the pain deep within us. The issue remains, do we want God's good, perfect, and pleasing way or do we still want to try our own way? God is reaching out to each of us today, encouraging us and offering us help to walk in His good pleasing and perfect way.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV)
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