Staying committed is crucial to finishing. Many people start but don’t finish. However, it is only those who persist that enjoy the best of God and life. One of the ways to stay committed is by not looking back.
Matthew 24:13-14 MSG: “Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come.”
Galatians 6:9: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.”
God always finishes what He starts (Philippians 1:6), and we share His nature. If we are doing something good, we should stick with it. If it’s something bad, we should stop it. We have the same ability as God, which means we can stay committed despite whatever happens.
2 Peter 1:3-4: “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”
Proverbs 10:25: “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.”
We wish life were always smooth sailing, and some people do experience that. However, storms do happen, and we must recognize and be prepared for them.
Hebrews 6:11-12: “Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.”
The Apostle Paul is a prime example of someone who did not look back.
2 Timothy 4:6-8: “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”
Many times, people expect things to be handed to them. However, Apostle Paul clearly expresses that he had to fight. He fought the good fight, remained faithful, and finished his course. These were the three things he did. The question then is, “How did he do it?”
Philippians 3:12-14: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
One thing he did was not look back. This doesn’t mean he forgot everything that happened—because he remembered the past—but he didn’t let it hold him back. So, what does forgetting mean?
According to James 1:23-25, forgetting means not allowing what we have seen to influence us. It means not letting the things of the past affect us. We must rob the past of its power to stop us. We can learn from it, but we shouldn’t let it influence our day-to-day life. Paul was a murderer with a terrible past, yet God showed him mercy and used him mightily (1 Timothy 1:15-16). Don’t let past mistakes influence the present. If a man like Paul, with a terrible past, could encounter the Lord and finish well, no one is exempt. As long as you are alive, your story is not over. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and eventually, you will finish the race. Rahab was a harlot, but she is recorded as one who performed a great act of faith.
Let go of people who let you down. People are great—they are supportive and helpful—but they will also let you down at times. We will not stay the course or finish if we don’t allow ourselves to understand both sides of this coin. We need help from others. Hebrews 3:12-13 clearly states that we need encouragement daily. There are brothers and sisters who will lift us up. We need people. 2 Timothy 4:6-16 explains how Paul was deserted by everyone at one point, yet he also recognized the need for people. We must not give up on people or on ourselves.
Forget the good things of the past as well. Staying on course means continually moving forward. Staying power means pressing on and letting go of past victories. Don’t dwell on yesterday’s successes. Life will always demand the next achievement. The Israelites couldn’t forget Egypt. They enjoyed the wilderness too much, and as a result, all but two didn’t enter the Promised Land. According to Luke 9:61-62, not following immediate instruction was the downfall. We must press on, like Jesus, with patience in the race (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Staying power is taking one more step after another. No reason is good enough to drop off course. God will take us to our destination.
