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The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 27

Leaving the Past Behind and Moving On!

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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

– Philippians 3:13

A few years ago one Sunday morning during worship in Church, I heard the Lord said to me as clear as crystal, to write these devotional on anxiety and depression and share my personal experiences to encourage others. I wrote in my journal what I heard in my spirit that day and did nothing. For a few years after I had this tugging in my spirit to write but I ignored it because I felt inadequate and I was still ashamed of my life. I believed the lies of the enemy that I had nothing important to share. However, I couldn’t ignore the tugging in my spirit any more so on the 1st January 2019 I began writing these devotionals that you have read so far up until yesterday the 26th January, then I stopped. What happened to cause me to stop writing?

Imagine, after writing for 26 days about how to live a life characterized by the peace and love of God and having the mind of Christ, I let my guard down and succumbed to anxiety and depression yet another time. I can hear some saying, ‘practice what you preach’ and ‘physician heal thyself’. The truth is while these are ideal to practice it is often not the case. One must make a conscious decision to do so.

How did I let my guard down? I didn’t practice what I had been preaching. In the devotional on the 20th I shared on “Thinking about what you are thinking about” from Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Then six days later on the 26th of January which was my birthday I allowed my thoughts to run wild in my mind, thinking about all sort of negative things about my past that pushed me back into a state of anxiety and depression. I didn’t stop to think about what I was thinking about. I didn’t think on the things that were virtuous and praiseworthy. I didn’t refute the negative thoughts. I didn’t cast down the imaginations, all to my detriment.

I have discovered that anxiety and depression can be easily caused by focusing on past regrets and living in the past. I have made many mistakes in the past that have had negative consequences on others and affected my relationships, for which I deeply regretted. Dwelling on past regrets and constantly thinking about what I could, should, would have or not done and what ifs only caused me much distress. It took me a while to realize that what’s done in the past is done and I can’t change the past. However, in order for me to move on successfully I must leave the past behind with the understanding that I have not yet arrived.

This is the same attitude that the Apostle Paul had in Philippians 3:13 when he stated after reflecting on his life while in prison, “… but 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.” The Apostle Paul realized that if he had sat in prison thinking about and dwelling on his past as he faced possible death, it would have done him no good. I believe if he had done such it would have caused him much anxiety and depression. Instead, he reassured himself that he must forget those things which are behind and reach for the things which are ahead, the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He focused his attention on his future and for him his future was a bright one even when his present situation of possible death was real. He didn’t let his past influence his positive thinking about his future.

Are you stock in your past, with regrets of your past failures or even mesmerized by your past successes? Being stock in your past, failures or successes, will hinder you from attaining your future. Like the Apostle Paul, I encourage you today to forget those things which are behind and reach for the things which are before. There is a prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus that God is calling you too attain. Would you reach for it today? Your assignment is not finished until you have attained this prize. I admonish you today to leave your past behind and move on in Christ Jesus.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father I honour You, be glorified in my life. You are worthy of my highest praise and I worship You forever. Thank you for Your Word of encouragement for me today. I am grateful that You do not see me based on my past but You have a bright future prepared for me. I declare today that I am forgetting those things which are behind, whether failures or successes, and I am reaching forward for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ name with thanksgiving. Amen!