Developing A Short Memory

Successful professional athletes develop a short memory for mistakes. Regardless of the technique they use, it is imperative they learn to let mistakes go and move on. Otherwise, they will dwell on mistakes which take away their focus and that will lead to still further mistakes. This is why athletes go through some of the things they do. It may not be simply nervous habits, rather a system by which they are letting go of the past so they can meet the challenge of what lies ahead. What a great lesson for us as we go through life. That is exactly what we have laid out for us in Philippians 3:13-14.

Philippians 3:13–14 (ESV) — 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Notice how Paul brings up the answer to dwelling on the past, particularly the mistakes of the past and says, “But one thing I do.” This one thing has two parts: “forgetting what lies behind and straining for what lies ahead.”

Have you ever been hindered by thoughts and regrets from the past? Haven’t we all? It is something that it seems the devil thrives to bring up to take our focus off the prize. The scripture is clear that when we recognize sin in our lives we are to repent of our ways and confess the sin to God. Just as important is the holding on to God’s promise of forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration.

1 John 1:9 (ESV) — 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 51:7–12 (ESV) — 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

There is nothing in the scriptures that will lead us to believe we should continually beat ourselves up over a sin for which we have repented and confessed to God. Rather it’s the pressing forward, and holding onto the promises of God to forgive us.

Nevertheless, the devil who is also called “the accuser of the brothers” will make sure that sin and other sins come up in our minds to create doubt and take our focus off of moving forward in our walk with the Lord.

Revelation 12:10 (ESV) — 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

Need we fear the accusations of the devil? The following passage sets the record straight about relying upon the work of God rather than being distracted by the past, even when the devil brings it up.

Romans 8:33–34 (ESV) — 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Granted a person who does not have real faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ but is a nominal Christian in name only or relying upon good works or anything other than Jesus Christ alone for salvation, does have just cause to be concerned. A true Christian need not worry because as the passage above says, God is the One who has justified us and the Lord Jesus Christ, who just happens to be the judge, is also the One who has died for us and as He is risen from the dead, indicating God’s acceptance of His sin offering on our behalf, He is also the One who is interceding for us. In other words, He is both our defense attorney and the judge. Therefore, reason this out, can anything be laid to your charge that He hasn’t covered? Rest in His finished work.

Instead of dwelling on the sin, look back long enough to realize how much you need to repent in turning from the sin to God, recognize the need to confess it to God, which is in agreement to Him that you did what was wrong or your failed to do what you knew to be right. Nevertheless, you know that He knows all about the sin, yet He offers forgiveness and cleansing.

As the professional athlete needs to initiate a short memory with the mistakes that he is sure to make, so the Christian needs to take up the same attitude toward failures in serving God. Yes, it happens. Rather than dwell upon it, take the scriptural pro-active advice of Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 and change the focus from the past and focus on what lies ahead in serving God and His glorious future that He has planned that is entirely His doing by His grace.

Godspeed,

Bob Brubaker, Pastor

Christ Community Presbyterian Church

Clearwater, FL