Press On!

Do you ever get stuck in the past? If we are honest with ourselves, we all do. But here’s the lesson I want to share today. God wants you to leave the past behind and press on toward the future He has waiting for you!
“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 3:13b-14
Dwelling on what has happened in the past gets you just about as far as worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow. God created this day for you. There are lessons to learn, victories to win, and steps you can be taking to get to that amazing future that waits for you. I read once that, “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!” Two things struck me when I read that statement.
1) How much energy do we waste worrying about tomorrow when we could be praising God for what He is doing RIGHT NOW? Look around you. Count your blessings, look for miracles (because if you look I guarantee you will start to see them), and give praise to God for how He is moving in your life.
2) NOTHING, absolutely nothing, happens in our world that God doesn’t already know about. And He has a plan for it all! So while we might not be able to understand why something happened in the past right now, and while we are worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, or next year, HE KNOWS! He has a plan to bless you!
In this verse, Paul is telling the church in Philippi, “I’m not all I should be yet, but I am focusing ALL of my energy on getting where God wants me to be!” Paul goes on to give three important guidelines every person can use to do the same:
1 – Forget what is behind.
2 – Prioritize the present.
3 – Align your goals and ambitions with God’s will!
Don’t dwell on the past because it’s a closed chapter. You can’t live a single day over. It’s gone. You have to let it go so you can grasp the future instead. Your concern isn’t the past or the future, it is prioritizing God’s direction in your life right this moment. You do that by spending time with God, listening for His voice, and aligning your goals and ambitions with His plans to bless you! I’m Positive!