12. 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.
13. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.
The Gift and Curse of Memory
One of the greatest attributes of the human condition is memory. Through memory we can relive some of our favorite moments in life — falling in love, the birth of children, personal and career achievements. Failure of memory can have effects that range from a day ruined by searching for something misplaced, to the heartbreaking loss of independence seen in Alzheimer’s or dementia.
But memory can also work against us in quieter ways, having adverse effects on our ability to discover and reach our God-given potential. Memory is an attribute that can be a gift and a curse if we allow it. When memory induces fear, it can be paralyze us — turning goals into mere dreams and reducing holy ambition to a faint voice in the background as we settle for the path of least resistance.
Paul’s Past Didn’t Disqualify His Calling — And Neither Does Yours
Before becoming the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus lived in total contradiction to Jesus Christ — admitting this in Acts 26:9, “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene.” Yet when Jesus placed a calling on his life to be the apostle to the Gentiles, he did not hesitate to cleanse his mind of past actions and embrace the very way he once hated. Even when The Twelve and other followers of the Way feared and doubted him because of his history, Paul stood firmly on his present state of mind — never wavering until he was fully received for who he had become in Christ Jesus.
Perhaps this is the reason Jesus placed the calling of Apostle to the Gentiles on Paul. He is living proof of the truth he was inspired to write. In Romans 8:35 Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” And he answers his own question in Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
If Jesus chose the one person whose life’s mission was to imprison and kill those who followed Him, why would Jesus hold your past against you? Why would He refuse to accept you into His family as a member of His Church body?
The Past That Haunts
A person once said to me, “sometimes you have to bring the past into the present.” Because I knew the context of the discussion, I knew they were talking about negative history — the kind that fuels anger, bitterness, and even fear — not the positive history that inspires ambition and promise. Since they were an elder, there was no use in trying to explain the damaging effect that mindset had on their life, their relationships, and the way others perceived them. What perplexed me most was seeing how this person would weaponize someone’s past in an effort to claim moral superiority.
Those around us may never see us for more than who we were in our past. But the believer cannot allow current struggles to invoke memories of their past mistakes. Allowing our own memories to condemn us can be even more damaging than those who remind us of our past. We can choose to walk away from or ignore others, but we have to live with ourselves. Although our sins are forgiven, while the earthly consequences of past decisions may linger, we decide how far our past follows us into our future.
When we are called to follow Christ Jesus, we must wash our minds of past sins and mistakes, in order to discover His calling for our lives. Even when others doubt our salvation or who we’ve become in Christ, we are commanded to stand with full conviction, firmly planted in the cleansing that is taking place within us. With that cleansing, we are to seek godly wisdom; godly wisdom brings clarity, and clarity produces patience and better decisions. This is how we distance ourselves from our past and become closer to God. The closer we are to God, the clearer His will for our lives becomes. This does not instantly eliminate struggles, but with every wise decision, you struggle less. The renewing of our minds and hearts that leaves a dark past behind — exchanging it for a future illuminated by God’s light, the love of Jesus, and the Holy Spirits guidance — is how we bring glory to God and draw others to Him.
Lost but Not Forgotten Nor Hopeless
Your past does not disqualify you from Jesus calling you His brother or sister. If anything, He calls you even louder. Remember the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:3-7 — the shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep to go and find the one who was lost. In the eyes of the Lord, lost does not mean forgotten or hopeless. Being lost gives rise to the need to seek the Lord while He may be found — a command given to the Israelites when they were exiled for being disobedient to God (Isaiah 55:6-7). God’s children are commanded to do the same in the present day.
Be the one lost sheep that Jesus carries on His shoulders in joy when you answer His call. Dare to be the reason God’s angels rejoice in Heaven when you repent and release your past. Leave your sins, regrets, and mistakes behind you. It is exactly what God does for us — and expects from us — as Psalm 103:12 declares, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Scriptures That Remind You the Lord is Always With You
Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Deuteronomy 31:8
“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
A Thankful Prayer for the Love of God
Father God in Heaven, I thank You for not holding my past against me and for removing my sins far from me. When the enemy stirs my flesh with the painful emotions that troubled memories produce, You are my strength to look ahead. When others use my past against me, Your kept promise of redemption moves me forward. Even when I am weak and look back on mistakes I’ve made, answering Your call brings forth good fruit in abundance. When others gave up on me, You remained without judgment. When I wanted to give up, You lifted me up. You are my strength and I thank You. In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
Trinitarian Benediction
May God lift the weight of yesterday with the promises of tomorrow.
May the love of Jesus Christ calm you when your past tries to call you.
And may the Holy Spirit lift you when your spirit is down.