Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 3:13-14
Our past can often haunt us. No one is perfect and we all have things in our past that we regret. Past actions and sins can continue to remain in our mind for the rest of our lives, even when we have confessed them and have been forgiven for them by God.
The memories may fade, but the weight can linger. We replay conversations, decisions, and moments we wish we could undo. And over time, those memories can quietly shape how we see ourselves and how we believe God sees us. Discouragement grows when the past becomes louder than God’s grace.
Paul understood this struggle. And yet, he speaks with resolve: this one thing I do. He does not pretend the past never happened, nor does he deny responsibility. Instead, he makes a deliberate choice not to live there. Forgetting, as Paul describes it, is not erasing memory; it is refusing to let yesterday define today.
The Christian life is not lived by constantly looking backward. It is lived by pressing forward: toward Christ, toward growth, toward the work God is still doing in us. God’s forgiveness is not partial. When He forgives, He restores. And what He has forgiven, He does not continue to hold over us.
When we remain trapped by past regret, we struggle to walk in present obedience. But God invites us to trust that His grace is sufficient, not only to forgive, but to carry us forward. The call of Christ is not behind us. It is still ahead.
If the past feels heavy today, remember this: God is not finished with you. The same grace that met you in forgiveness is the grace that strengthens you to press on. Is there something from your past that you continue to carry, even though God has already forgiven it?
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About Another Well Ministries
Another Well Ministries exists to help people slow down, listen deeply, and encounter God in the ordinary places of life. Through devotionals, reflections, and spiritual resources, we seek to create space for faith to be formed with honesty, grace, and hope.
To learn more about the heart of the ministry or explore additional resources, visit anotherwell.org.