In this current world with so much going on, inflation, wars, Covid, family issues, health issues, job issues, and the list could go on and on. Just how can we function? How are we making it through each day?

I. By the strength of the Lord.

Psalm 18:1-2 “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

With the Lord’s strength and by eliminating some of the clutter in our brains, we can move on for the Lord and “press toward the mark”.

II. By removing the clutter.

This post is just a short, brief reminder that there are some things we just need to forget and move on.

Here are a few simple things to pray about and ask the Lord to help you remove so you can be better used of God.

Philippians 3:13-14 “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, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

“…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…”

What do we have to forget to move forward for the Lord? And to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high”?

1. We tend to think of this verse as meaning we should forget the bad/sinful things we have done in the past and move on for the Lord. “Yes, we should do that.” There have been heaps of preaching and teaching on that topic; so, I will not cover that again today, other than to say, “If there is sin you have committed in the past and you have confessed it to God; but you have not forgotten it and moved on, pray to God and ask him to help you to forget it and move to on for him.”
   • What if we can’t forget? Somethings, we may not be able to fully forget because God wants us to use our past to help others in the future. For example, “I have known ladies who have dealt with drug and alcohol disorders in their lives. But they have confessed these sins and gotten past these issues. God has helped them to move on and to teach other women not to fall into these sinful lifestyles.”

2. We also have to forget the bad/sinful things others have done to us. Our verse does not say “forgetting those things which are behind that thou hast done…” It just says “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth…” So, we also have to forget the things others have done to us.
   • I know from personal experience; one cannot move forward for the Lord if one cannot forgive and forget the bad others have done to them.
     • Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
   • In my 15 plus years of experience in full-time ministry, it is no secret that there are people who do other people wrong. People will tell lies about others; they will slander and hurt others badly. I have had people tell lies about me and still today are telling lies about me. But that is okay. I am not responsible for others’ actions. I am only responsible for myself before God someday. When I stand before God, God will not have me give an account for someone else’s actions. God will only have me give an account for myself.

Recently, I was speaking with someone who had so much on their mind that they were struggling with just keeping up with daily events.

After talking with this person and thinking about the above verses, we came to a conclusion together that there are some things people should strive to forget. People should:

1. “forget” their sinful past and possibly use it to help others stay clean or get their lives clean for God.
2. “forget” the bad things others have done to them. Remember, “We have no control over others, we only have control over ourselves.”
3. “forget” about current politics (just had to throw that one out there, since recently it seems to engulf so many people and they cannot be fully used of God) (Hint, turn off the TV for a few weeks or eliminate news APs from the phone if one has to to “forget” current politics.)
   

If people could forget these 3 things, it would open some room in their brains to focus on what mattered most – doing what God wanted them to do for Him each day of their life.

This may hard for some people to do; so, here is the challenge:

I challenge you today, if your brain is in overdrive, pray and ask God to help you to forget the 3 things mentioned above. Remove the clutter.

Ask Him to help you move on and accomplish the things in your life that will bring Him Honor and Glory through His strength and remember you only have control over –

YOU!

And then “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”