Forgive YourselfSample

FORGET AND PRESS ON

The apostle Paul knew about the courage to forget and move on. He said it this way, “One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

Paul had some pretty major things to forget. He made a lot more wrong decisions than you have. For one thing, he had a part in arresting and murdering Christians! My guess is that you haven’t missed it that badly. 

So this verse applies to you and your situation. You can move on from blowing it. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Be like Paul and put it behind you.

Yes, it’s better to never goof up, but we humans are far from perfect. Everyone has made mistakes and wrong decisions. It doesn’t matter how many times you fall down; all that matters is how many times you get back up again. Micah 7:8: “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise.” Everyone trips up or falls down. That’s why this verse is in the Bible. God is saying: just get up one more time than you fall down. You’re only defeated when you give up.

You can count on God. He knows exactly how to help you get back on track -- He is the God of the second chance. He’s incredibly patient with us. He’s full of grace and mercy. He doesn’t disqualify us when we blow it. Psalm 86:5 says, “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” (NLT). Micah 7:18 says, “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in mercy.”

I want to encourage you today, if you’ve blown it, get up and go again. Forgive yourself and move on. Put the past behind you and trust God to help you put things back together. He knows just how to do it.