Baggage

Baggage

Bible: Philippians 3:7-14

Reading

Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead,
I press on towards the goal (VV.13-14).

A few years ago, my family went on holiday abroad. Thinking it would make the trip easier, we crammed all our stuff into a couple of big sports bags without wheels. What a mistake! We dragged those bags through the airports, planes, train stations and hotels. When we got home, I wanted to burn those bags. The lack of wheels made them no help at all. In a similar way, the baggage of our choices can affect every event of our lives. Our experiences, family life, grades and disappointments can bring us down, even years down the line. They can stop us moving forward, including in our walk with Jesus. Paul wrote about his past as a rule following religious leader in Israel: “One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14). At some point, to move forward we have to leave our past mistakes and issues behind. What does this mean? Although the consequences of our past don’t necessarily go away, by God’s love and forgiveness, we can rest in Him and find peace and purpose for the days ahead. As Paul said, we can “press on”,
focusing on what is ahead, rather than on what’s behind us. He is big enough to deal with and carry our baggage so that we can keep our eyes on the rest Jesus offers us

MOVING FORWARD MEANS FOCUSING ON

WHAT’S AHEAD, NOT WHAT’S BEHIND.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries