Scripture Study
“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.” – Philippians 3:13-14
We have a grandfather clock in our house that was handmade by Amy’s grandfather. Pretty cool when you think about it—a grandfather clock made by a grandfather. Anyway, that is not the main point.
Every year when we set the clocks back an hour, the grandfather clock is obviously off by an hour, so I have to fix it.
You can fix it one of two ways:
You can either stop the clock for an hour and restart it. This is the easier method, but I usually forget to go back and start it, and then it is off by more than an hour.
Or you can move the minute hand forward in fifteen-minute increments, letting it chime each time before you move it again. This method can take a lot of time.
The one thing you can’t do is move the minute hand backwards. Turning the minute hand in the wrong direction can jam gears, damage the strike train, and throw the chimes out of sync.
Grandfather clocks are simply meant to always move forward.
Reflecting on the Past
This clock adjustment happened a couple of days before my birthday, and as birthdays often do, it got me thinking about the past. Birthdays are a natural time to pause and think about where you’ve been, how you’ve changed, and the people who’ve been part of your life. When people reach out and tell you what your friendship has meant to them, it can bring back memories you haven’t thought about in years. That can feel good and a little bittersweet at the same time.
As I get older, I tend to reflect more on my birthday. I have to admit, this year, with the stress of life, I woke up in the morning not feeling great about celebrating.
As the day went on and so many people reached out, it really did make the day special. Amy and the kids were amazing as well. Amy wrote me a letter that made me cry, and having the opportunity to spend time with the kids was great too. The day ended much better than it started.
Learning from the Past, Living for the Future
I also thought about the grandfather clock and the fact that you can only move the hand forward or you will damage the clock. The grandfather clock is always moving toward the future.
Our lives are the same way. We should always be moving forward. It’s good to learn from the past, but we are not meant to go backwards.
Paul talks about this in Philippians 3:13–14 when he says:
“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.”
Paul had a past that included both accomplishments and failures, but he understood that he couldn’t allow either one to keep him from moving forward in his relationship with Christ.
I think we can do the same thing. Sometimes we spend too much time thinking about things we wish we could change. Other times, we wish we could go back to a time when life seemed easier or things were going better. We can even become so focused on what we’ve accomplished that we stop looking for what God wants to do next.
God Isn’t Finished with You
There is nothing wrong with remembering the past. We should celebrate the blessings, learn from our mistakes, and thank God for the people and experiences He has placed in our lives. But we can’t live there.
The past is a place to learn from and be thankful for, but it’s not a place to live.
Just like that grandfather clock, we weren’t meant to go backwards.
God isn’t finished working in our lives. No matter how old we are, what we’ve accomplished, or what mistakes we’ve made, there is still an opportunity to grow closer to Him and fulfill the purpose He has for us.
This week, take some time to reflect on your past. Thank God for what He’s done, learn from the things you wish you had done differently, and ask Him to show you what He wants you to do next.
Is there something in your past that you’ve been holding on to that’s keeping you from moving forward in your relationship with Christ?
Have a great day in Christ,
Matt
