Looking Back, Pressing Forward

[333 words] As a new year approaches, many of us are reflecting upon the past year, and looking toward the hope and promise of what lies ahead. One passage we often turn to when thinking about hope for the future is Phil. 3:13-14. Paul talks about putting to rest things of the past, and pressing toward the future, ultimately the prize of heavenly reward! Putting away the things of the past can be very appealing to us. Sometimes we carry large burdens of pain, guilt, or stress that we are eager to dismiss from our lives. But when Paul says, “forgetting those things that are behind,” what exactly is he encouraging us to forget? The New Testament shows us that Paul did a lot of looking back. He looked back upon his achievements (Phil. 3:3-6), his failures (1 Tim. 1:12-15), his trials (2 Cor. 11:22-33), his gifts from God (2…