Photo by Haeun Kang on Unsplash” width=”300″ height=”300″> Photo by Haeun Kang on Unsplash

“…this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

As I am currently preaching through Philippians in a series I’ve entitled “Regaining Our Purpose,” thinking on how 2020 robbed much of our efforts carrying out God’s purpose in our lives. As I came upon the above verses, I began to think on how much we dwell on the past.

In my past I’ve seen God at work in ways that redirected me toward His purpose in my life. However, I can see so many failures from the past. If I dwell on those failures, they will multiply into more failures in my future. There needs to be no looking back at past failures unless we are to learn from them and not repeat them or else we become discouraged by them.

Learn from the past and move on (press on).

When Babe Ruth held the home run record for many years, remember his other record — strikeouts. And then there is Abraham Lincoln, considered one the most admired and respected president in history.

1831 – Failed in business; went bankrupt.

1833 – Back on his feet; failed again

1835 – Fiancée he loved dearly died

1836 – Nervous breakdown

1838 – Ran for speaker of the house; defeated

1840 – Elector; defeated

1843 – Congress; defeated

1848 – Congress again; defeated

1855 – Senate; defeated

1856 – Vice president; defeated

1858 – Senate again; defeated

1860 – Elected president; one of the greatest who ever lived

What if he had quit because of his defeats and failures? Where would the United States been in those years and the many that followed? He moved from one failure to the next. Surely, with God’s help, we can rise above a few failures in our lives.

From Bro. Larry