Barbra Gentry-Pugh

Letting Go to Move Forward

May 18, 2025

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Why is it often so difficult to let go of the past to move forward in our God-given purpose and destiny? What is so challenging about releasing the pain and difficulties of the past to move into your next step? Have you ever tried to walk forward while dragging something heavy behind you? What in your past are you nurturing that keeps you off track, blindsided, and distracted from hearing from God? Spiritually and emotionally, that’s what it feels like when we try to step into what’s next while holding tightly to what’s already passed.

We all have something: a past mistake, a wound, a missed opportunity, or even a season we wish we could relive. But the truth is, you cannot reach for what’s ahead with clenched fists around what’s behind.

“Why is it so difficult to forget? As a nurse, I’ve witnessed something that many may not have had the opportunity to witness: the body remembers what the heart has not healed. By design, God has given us the ability to remember, but not to remain stuck. Biologically, the human brain is designed to remember experiences, to store memories, including traumatic and painful ones, as a means of learning and protection. However, when these memories are not processed healthily, they can lead to chronic stress responses. This chronic activation of the stress response system can result in various physical ailments, such as cardiovascular issues, gastrointestinal problems, and weakened immune function.

This is not a flaw; it is part of God’s intricate design. The limbic system, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, plays a key role in storing emotionally charged memories. This helps us learn, avoid danger, and grow from experience. When it comes to our past and the weight we often carry, many times it is not our past, it is how we choose to act on it.

Remember: It’s not the memory itself that makes us sick ~ it’s our response to it. It is how we process it, learn from it, or become stuck in it. When we rehearse old wounds, harbor unforgiveness, or stay trapped in shame or regret, our minds signal distress to the body. Over time, this leads to physical symptoms: chronic pain, high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, and even heart disease. Spiritually, we feel disconnected. Emotionally, we become anxious, bitter, or depressed. Relationally, we project past hurt onto new people and experiences. The concept is deeply rooted in Scripture.

The Apostle Paul understood this construct. He had a past, one filled with religious zeal that persecuted the very people he would one day serve. Yet in Christ, Paul found freedom not only from his sin but also from the shame of it. He was able to say, “This one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I like Eugene Peterson’s writing of Philippians 3:12-16 in the Message Translation. He says it this way: ^“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward, to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision; you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.” (MSG)

Why Is Our Past Important and What Does It Mean to ‘Forget’? What the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said, “forgetting what is behind,” he wasn’t talking about amnesia. He remembered where he came from, as noted in 1 Timothy 1:13-16. But he chose not to let the past define or derail his present pursuit of Christ.

To forget, in this sense, means:

To release its power over you
To stop replaying it like a movie on repeat
To refuse to be identified by it

You may not be able to erase your past, but through God’s grace, you can outgrow it.

THE PAST IS FULL OF HELPFUL LESSONS FOR TODAY.

Today’s pressures make it easy to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. But Paul cautions us to remember the lessons the Israelites learned about God, so that we can avoid repeating their errors. The key to remembering is to study the Bible regularly so that these lessons remind us of how God wants us to live. We need not repeat their mistakes!

Allow Your Past to be as a Teacher, Not a Prisoner Locked in Time!

Romans 15:4: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Yes, everything that was written in the past was written to teach us!” Our past influences our future and carries lessons, both personal and biblical that are meant to instruct us, not imprison us. When we cling to shame, regret, or nostalgia, we forfeit the wisdom God wants to use to grow us.

Your Past can be a Reminder of God’s Grace. The Israelites had great difficulty with the Philistines, but God rescued them. In response, the people set up a stone as a memorial of God’s great help and deliverance. During tough times, we may need to remember the crucial turning points in our past to help us through the present. Memorials can help us remember God’s past victories and gain confidence and strength for the present. 1 Corinthians 10:11 reminds us,^“These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.” (NLT) All these events happened to them as examples for us.

Remember God Can Redeem Your Past: Joel 2:25, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…” No matter how broken or wasted your past seems, God can redeem it for His glory. He can use your story as part of His healing work in others.

Letting Go to Move Forward: Philippians 3:13-14, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…” Paul didn’t mean erasing the past, but not letting it define his identity. Letting go means releasing the grip of guilt, grief, or nostalgia so we can move into God’s calling.

Remembering God’s Faithfulness, Not Your Failures: Deuteronomy 8:2, “Remember how the Lord your God led you…” There’s a difference between dwelling on your past mistakes versus remembering how God brought you through. Choose to focus on His faithfulness, not your failures.

The Danger of Living in the Past: Luke 17:32, “Remember Lot’s wife!” Looking back longingly can lead to spiritual paralysis. Lot’s wife’s backward glance wasn’t just about curiosity—it symbolized her attachment to a life God was delivering her from.

Your Identity Is Not in Your Past: 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” The past may explain you, but it doesn’t define you. In Christ, you are a new creation with a new identity. Let that truth be your foundation.

God Uses Your Past to Help Others: Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” Like Joseph, our painful past can become a powerful testimony. When surrendered to God, even the darkest chapters can bring light to someone else.

Embrace Freedom from Shame and Regret: Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past… See, I am doing a new thing!” God is not held hostage by your past. He invites you to let go of shame and embrace His new work in you.

When Your Past Blocks Your Healing: John 5:6 says, “Do you want to be made well?” Some remain stuck in the past because it feels familiar, even when it’s painful.” Jesus’ question at the pool of Bethesda invites us to choose healing, not history.

YOUR HEART CHALLENGE: What Might Be Hindering You?

Today, reflect on the things that may be holding you back:

Is it unforgiveness toward someone else or yourself?
Is it a lingering shame or regret?
Is it fear of what lies ahead?
Or maybe it is the comfort of what used to be, keeping you from the courage to step into what can be?

Moving Forward Requires Focus: Paul’s spiritual progress was fueled by intentional focus, not on his surroundings, not on his feelings, but on the goal set before him. You cannot move forward accidentally; you must move forward with intentionality! It takes a decision, often daily, to shift your eyes from what’s behind to what God has placed ahead:

What part of your past still tries to define you?

What has God been calling you to release so you can grow?

What would “pressing forward” look like in your life right now?

To Press Forward, Release to Reach: You must release what hinders. Surrendering your past is not denying it—it’s entrusting it to God.

Please Let Go:
Of the old identity.
Of the pain and the praise.
Of the story that ended.
And reach for the new chapter God is writing.

A FREE HEART: A free heart is healing past wounds with God’s truth. He reminds us in Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Wounds from the past may still bleed into our present until we bring them to the Healer. God wants to restore, not just patch you up.

Remember, living free is not a call to forget, but rather to reframe. When God redeems our memories, we no longer live as victims of them. Instead, they become markers of His grace and evidence of transformation.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for Your authoritative, inerrant, and inspired Word that provides for us clear instruction as to how to let go of our past and walk in freedom and purpose. Father God, thank You that our past does not have the final say; You do! Father, we realize that You biologically wired us to remember, but it’s our unresolved pain and repeated negative responses that keep us spiritually stuck, emotionally unbalanced, relationally broken, and physically sick. Therefore, we need Your HELP to release every weight, every regret, and every false identity we have carried. Help us to stop rehearsing the pain and start releasing it into Your hands. Heal our hearts, renew our minds, and restore balance to our bodies. Teach us how to live forward, to press on, and to trust that what You have ahead is greater than what lies behind in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.