Don't Look Back!

It’s very important… for our own good and for the glory of God… that we not dwell on the negativity of the past. The past can be full of pain, disappointment, and regret. Dwelling on such things is not helpful to one’s self or to others. Nor does it bring glory to God. As those who are forgiven in Christ, our focus, should be on Christ and living for His glory. We read in Luke 9:62, “Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

If our desire is to live in a way that glorifies God, then we need to pay heed to what he tells us in his word. Shortly after encouraging peace between two women (who were evidently at odds with one another) and admonishing the people to be anxious about nothing, but pray about everything with thanksgiving, Paul gives the following wise advice, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

If our minds dwell on anything that is less than praiseworthy, we are being disobedient and sinful. Putting one’s hand to the plow is a good analogy of this truth. To keep one’s eyes straight ahead, focused on a certain point and moving forward is to plow a straight furrow. To keep looking back, losing one’s focus, is to wave all over the field. If we are not trusting Christ, with our mind fixed on Him, but are looking back to the past for whatever reason, we will be all over the place-- unable to walk straight that narrow path of righteousness. We we may be sidetracked in bypass meadow. James 1:5-6 encourages us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

Our focus must be on Christ and His word. May we truly be able to say with Paul, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:8-11). Then in verses 13 and 14 he writes, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

If our life is hidden in Christ, we need to take seriously the following admonishment, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:2-4).

If we are setting our minds on things above, we will think on things that are worthy of praise, forgetting the things that are behind and pressing forward toward the goal, which is eternal life, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Let us truly strain forward to what lies ahead--And don’t look back!