"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. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus". Philippians 3:12-14
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul says that we should forget the things that are behind and reach forward to the things that are ahead. We have all done things that we are not proud of and that is why we need forgiveness. I've heard people say, "But you don't understand what I have done." What we have done is not the point; it is what Jesus has done for us and what He will do that will cover our past. Like Paul says, we are to forget about the things that lay behind us - old baggage, relationships gone bad, drugs, alcohol, abuse, anxiety, etc.
So what is the goal that we are to strive for? It's a restored relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and an eternity with him in God's presence. He wants our focus to be on him and to be forward looking. Only then does the past slowly fade away. That's what we strive to help others do at Celebrate Recovery.
What a blessed mindset to not only be able to allow God to forgive us, but for us to forgive ourselves and others and forget the past. This is possible and can only come from understanding two things:
1. Those things that are behind us can truly be forgiven; and
2. We do not have to struggle with them in the future.
This comes from a proper relationship with Jesus and a faith that we are truly forgiven.
As we close out 2008 and enter into the new year, we at Celebrate Recovery want to encourage you to leave the baggage of the past behind, allow Jesus to cover your past with forgiveness, and move into the new year knowing that the future is bright in Jesus.
