Saturday, October 9 Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead, I am pressing on toward the goal.​—Phil. 3:13, 14.

[Áine]

Saturday, October 9

Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead, I am pressing on toward the goal.—Phil. 3:13, 14.

 

The apostle Paul did not allow himself to be distracted, either by past accomplishments or by past mistakes. In fact, he said that “forgetting the things behind” was essential to “stretching forward to the things ahead,” that is, to completing the race successfully. What were some of the things that could have distracted Paul? First, his accomplishments in Judaism were impressive. Yet, he viewed those things as “a lot of refuse.” (Phil. 3:3-8) Second, he did not allow guilt over his earlier persecution of Christians to paralyze him. And third, he did not reason that he had already done enough for Jehovah. Paul had a productive ministry despite being imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked, as well as lacking food and clothing. (2 Cor. 11:23-27) However, regardless of what he had already accomplished and suffered, Paul knew that he must press on. The same is true of us. w19.08 3 ¶5

[Vinnie]

 How many of us are stuck clinging on to the past or struggling to let go and forgetting about the past? It's hard. It's not easy when your past is what you use to define yourself. But, it seems Jehovah is telling us through the Apostle Paul, it's ok to let go and forget about the past. We have a future ahead of us we need to focus on and strive towards instead. A future in which we can make as good as we can.