Looking to What is Ahead

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:13-14 
 
There's a New Year's tradition in some villages in Scotland where barrels of tar are set on fire and rolled through the streets, signifying the burning of the old year. This is a reminder to leave the past where it is and look ahead.

Are you looking to move on? Maybe today you are saying, “I’ve already spent A LOT of time thinking about what has happened to me. I’ve felt it and I’ve dealt with it.”
 
For you, it’s not about remembering; it’s about refocusing. For you, it’s time to move forward. It’s time to look ahead. In fact, this is exactly what Paul instructs us to do. In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul says,  

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
 
It is important to remember what happened to you, to know what has shaped the decisions you’ve made and the ways you view the world. But then, there comes a time when you must look forward.  

We can’t stay in the past forever. If you want to do the Lord’s work, there comes a point where you must look ahead to what He has next for you. There is a prize and that prize is God’s blessing for living according to His will.
 
God has a race for you to run. It’s time to receive the prize He has for you. But you can’t do that unless you lay down what is behind you and look forward to what is ahead!

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