“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 3:13-14 ESV)
What Lies Behind?
Paul, the author of these words from the book of Philippians, had intense memories in his past—elite education, terrorism, persecution, relational fallouts, and his own sin.
Maybe you too have memories that are hard to let go of, memories that weigh you down from moving forward in your relationship with Jesus. Maybe “what lies behind” you is a past sin you grieve, a season you miss, a decision you regret, a relationship that ended, or a position you lost. “What lies behind” occupies your mind and heart and takes up precious room there.
Forgetting What Lies Behind
Paul says, “forgetting what lies behind…” How do you forget? How do you leave behind real life-experiences, hurt, and memories? Do you throw out the pictures on your wall, on your phone, and in your head? Maybe forgetting feels like erasing something real, and you hope, something meaningful from your life.
Regardless of how difficult it may seem to forget, Paul himself was able to do this, and so are you and I by the power of God’s Spirit.
There’s a kind of forgetting that the Holy Spirit tells us, through the Apostle Paul, is a part of maturity. Paul follows his resolve to forget by saying, “Let those of us who are mature think this way…” (Philippians 3:15 ESV).
Straining Forward to What Lies Ahead
We can forget what’s behind us because what’s ahead beckons us onward. Jesus Christ calls you “upward”—to think on him and his kingdom priorities (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1) He calls you to know and seek him more. He calls you to love him and others. He has planned good things for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Nothing you leave behind compares to the reward of knowing him (Philippians 3:8).
What lies behind you that you need to forget, in order to press on toward what lies ahead? What’s holding you back today? It’s time to forget it—leave it in the hands of God—and press on toward what God has laid before you.