Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past
Have you watched the movie Finding Nemo?
It’s a heartwarming tale of Marlin, a fish who embarks on an adventurous journey to find his lost son, Nemo. Along the way, he befriends Dory, an optimistic fish with memory loss. At one particularly disheartening moment, Dory encourages Marlin by asking, "When life gets you down, do you know what you gotta do?" She then sings, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming" (You can watch this memorable scene here at the risk of having the tune stuck in your head!).This scene from Finding Nemo reminds me of Philippians 3. In this chapter, Paul speaks about relinquishing everything he once held dear—his achievements, righteous acts, and heritage—in favour of pursuing God’s glory, knowing Jesus, and becoming like Him.
Paul humbly admits, "I am not an expert at all of this; however, one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" (verse 13).Today’s ‘one thing’ is: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Or, in Dory’s words, "just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." - Isaiah 43:18 "No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is useful for service in the kingdom of God." – Luke 9:62
We all need to be a bit more like Dory at times, allowing ourselves to forget the past and to look ahead and pursue what God has for us in Christ Jesus.
"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." — C.S. Lewis.friend, take a moment to think about Paul’s words. Can you think of things you hold dear but God is asking you to leave behind? Write them down and then hold the list in your hand and say, ‘God, I leave these things behind for Your sake. I don’t want to hold onto my past but unto You!’
