“Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Another Christmas is in the books and now we look to the New Year. Most of us didn’t accomplish everything we wanted this year, and we’ve had some good and some bad outcomes… So, how do we deal with them? We don’t, they are behind us. We press on toward the coming year - a blank canvas that now becomes our focus.
Getting stuck in my past can hurt me in two ways: My failures can eliminate my confidence for the future. Or my past successes can cause vanity and open the door to my greatest enemy, pride.
This passage tells me to abandon self-doubt, self-confidence … and pretty much self-anything that the past generates. I must forget yesterday and lean into today. Press on and serve God, solely depending on His power not my own.
We will move quicker and more precisely if we drop the baggage from the past. Time moves forward, so should you. This morning didn’t just happen, God created it and has a plan… I will rejoice and be glad. I will dive into today, and keep my head on a swivel, so I won’t miss the opportunities God has arranged for me. I’m not fearful because what God has given me to do - He qualifies me to do. I am a new creation whose past is inconsequential because God has prepared me for what’s next.
Our New Year’s resolutions should just be one thing, “Chase what matters” … That was the phrase my buddy Bruce Hayes used to inspire his students, and it should inspire me as well. God’s plan for today is what matters. So, let’s forget what happened yesterday, focus on today, and keep “self” out of the way of God’s plan for this New Year.
The joy of the Lord is our strength. Drop the weightiness of the past and use the lessons learned to run full speed towards a productive today… Serving Him is what matters.
“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” —Vern McLellan
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