Paul reminds us that we cannot run a race with our gaze focused on what is behind us. There are seasons to mourn and to remember past wrongs. To not acknowledge past wrongs and to find a resolution is to live in denial. Nevertheless, there is a season to mourn, to remember and make peace with our past. At the end of that season, we have to make an effort to leave those things behind and to press forward.
Some painful memories are hard to forget and it is important to remember the lessons so that we do not repeat the mistakes. There are times when we need to confide in someone about painful memories. A counsellor is able to provide support and bring closure to unresolved trauma. It is constantly reliving the injustice that keeps us from living a full life. You cannot move forward with your head stuck in the past or run a good race with your gaze focused in the opposite direction.
Pray and confess the sins and wrongdoings of the past. Accept your part in any wrongs that you may have contributed to. And where you were wronged pray the prayer of forgiveness. You are not doing anyone a favor when you forgive, but you are setting yourself free to live. You cannot run your race with the heavy weight of unforgiveness. “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
It takes faith to trust that what God has in store in the future, is better than what we experienced in the past. It is dwelling on past wrongs that creates anxieties about the future. God has a good plan in store for us and our past does not define our future. You can start today to trust God and allow him to create a path for you. Stay connected to God. Trust in him and believe that he has a good plan and future in store for you.
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”(Philippians 3:14).
A.P.-Y.
Devotional Inspirations 