Neglect and Stretch
Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
That’s what they mean, my two favorite words in this verse, forgetting and reaching. You see, I tend wrongly, to worry too much. I can allow my mind to get caught up on things, allowing my present to be snagged by my past. That’s why I love the two words in this scripture reference.
Now the past must be dealt with, but once it has, don’t pick at it. The word forgetting here means to neglect out of mind. If Christ has resolved it, we must work to release it.
Paul said I neglect out of mind past things, and I stretch forth to what is before me. They say to get healthy you basically do two things. You stop what isn’t working, and start doing what will work. You stretch towards where you want to be.
It’s very hard to stretch towards the future while you’re holding on to the past. I don’t know the hurt, the shame, or the fear you’re dealing with, but God does. If He’s forgiven you, then why are you still holding onto it?
I know we do that, it’s in our nature. But the good thing about the word neglect is something that happens over time. You carried it yesterday, but today is a new day. Choose not to pick it up today.
You don’t have to release it all right away, just try not to think about it for an hour. Pretend for sixty minutes , that it’s not there. Leave it in the hands of The Master, then neglect to go back and get it. He knows how to deal with it because He already has.
Stretch towards where He is calling you, and ignore the echoes of previous events. Don’t allow what has happened to you to prevent what you could become. Put yesterday in the hands of The Giver of today and walk towards the dawn.
People stretch before a run, and they usually run in the morning. The sun is coming up soon, why not stretch a little. Now that you’ve put down what you were carrying, and stretched towards your dream, why not run after them?
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