Don’t Look Back but Look Ahead!

There are times when we feel we missed out on life, that we could have done things differently and it would have worked out better for us. We all have regrets but dwelling on them and constantly looking back will weigh us down and hinder our run forward. When you watch an athletics race event, you see that the athletes do not run in the race constantly looking back as vital seconds will be lost and the result will suffer. Similarly, dwelling on regrets in our life is like looking back in a race and this will cause us to lose focus, trip up and the final result will come short.

Jesus encouraged his followers to move forward into all that God has for us and not look back.
Luke 9:62
⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Plowing involves always moving ahead – moving ahead in a straight line to till the soil. No farmer ever looks back while plowing as a little distraction can cause the furrows to be marred and compromised. Jesus is essentially saying that we can’t go back to where we have been and live in the past no matter what has happened. The future is ours for the taking and we need to move ahead!

We cannot change what has happened in the past but God can redeem the situation and even redeem time for us! The Apostle Paul could have had many regrets about his past. After all, he was the chief persecutor of Christians at one time and even approved the stoning of Stephen. However, Paul chose not to focus on his past mistakes and knew that what lay ahead of him in Christ needed to be pursued with all his energy and focus. Like Paul, let us also pursue the upward call of God in our lives focus on what is ahead of us in Christ Jesus as we are sure to win the prize that God has for each of us.
Philippians 3:13b-14
^13b But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The enemy will come to undermine us and constantly condemn us. We need to stop listening to the enemy’s voice and instead stand grounded on God’s word and continue to persevere and understand that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). We cannot live in regret and lose hope for the future. Each day is a new beginning and a fresh start with new opportunities to live fully for His glory!
Lamentations 3:21-23
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:
²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Paul exhorts us to run the race of life keeping in mind the eternal finish line! We want to hear the words of our Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Running to win here means running with faithfulness, not giving up easily and not getting distracted by things that will cost us our race or get tripped up by what happened in the past. Just like a professional athlete, we are called to run the race of life looking forward with perseverance, passion and purpose!
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (MSG)
^24-25 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.
^26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No lazy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

I want to run in a way to hit the tape and win in the eternal race! What about you? Yes, there may be many things in the past that we all regret but we cannot afford to look back and dwell in the past. A glorious future is waiting for us and it requires our focus. Resolve not to look back but look ahead. There are greater things waiting for us as we step into our future. Let’s run to win!
2 Timothy 4: 7-8
⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.