Stop Dwelling in the Past

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. 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)

Have you ever found yourself thinking back about the life you lived so far?  Do you remember the good times, or do you remember the bad times?  Whenever you think about what you’ve done and where you have been, it influences where you are now.  Memories also influence where you will be in the future.

Good memories tend to lock you into a mode where you know what is what and who is who.  Risks you have taken in the past that have turned out well, you will try again.  You’ll make friends with certain types of people because they won’t rock the boat.  In essence, you will stay with the tried and true because you know it’s safe and you won’t be tested.

While it is good to think about the nice stuff in your past, it can also be a hindrance to your future.  The future God has for you may require you to let go of what is keeping you in the past and in your comfort zone.  The world changes and we must change with it.  What worked in your past, may not work in your future.

The Downside of Dwelling in the Past

The same applies to bad memories.  The bad things in our past make us more fearful as we don’t want to experience the hurt or sadness that comes with those memories.  We are unwilling to try again or let go of the feelings (such as revenge or anger) we have.  Some of us may also develop a “woe is me” attitude and milk it for all we’ve got.

The problem with living in the past is that it is holding you captive.  It may also be isolating you from others and God.  If you keep looking at the past and thinking “Those were the good ol’ days” or “If this didn’t happen to me…” then you are missing out.

The main thing you are missing out on is the future God has for you.  As Christians, we need to stop dwelling on (and in) our limited past and start dwelling in the unlimited future God has for us. The past, whether it is good or bad, is holding you back.  If you keep looking back, you will miss seeing what is in front of you.  You will hit obstacles that you could have avoided.  Any opportunities that pop up quickly will disappear before you see them.

Dwelling in Our Future with God

God wants us to see what He has for us.  When you accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour, you also decided to put your future in His hands. Reliving past glories or seeing past hurts is not what God planned for us.  It’s okay to look back now and then but it is not okay to stay there.  Your life is in front of you and not behind you.  The past can’t be changed but the future can be by taking hold of what God has for us.

The goal/prize is out there, where the possibilities are endless.  There are no second chances in the past but there are in the future.  The past offers you nothing, but the future God has for you offers you much more.  You only need to take off the chains of the past (whether they be good or bad) that are holding you back and start going forward.  Forward is where life and God is really at.