Forget About It

There is a great Peanuts comic strip that shows Lucy about to catch a fly ball. At the last minute, she loses sight of the ball and misses it. Lucy turns to Charlie Brown and says that she is sorry, but the “past” got in her eyes.

It is easy to let past mistakes get in the way of a good performance. We remember what we have done wrong at the worst time in our lives and end up making the same mistakes again. Then we begin the cycle of rehearsing that mishap over and over in our mind.

As a Christian, instead of letting the past get in your eyes, turn your eyes to the present and to the possibility of doing things the right way. Remember, you are a new creation in Christ and you don’t have to keep making the same mistakes.

Being a new creation in Christ means that you are guaranteed forgiveness for all the mistakes that you have made in the past or that you will make in the future. First John 1:9 describes how God responds when we ask for His forgiveness: “He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (NIV). That is a great promise and a great reason to stop rehearsing our past mistakes.

Instead of focusing on the past, turn your eyes to God—the audience of One—and to the present possibility of doing things right. Take time to think about experiencing success and enjoying God’s promises.