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)
Every golfer knows the feeling. You hit a terrible shot, and even after you’ve walked to the next tee, you’re still thinking about it.
Maybe you pulled an easy iron into the trees, missed a short putt, or hit a drive out of bounds. You replay it in your mind, wondering what went wrong and what you should have done differently.
Meanwhile, you’ve probably hit some great shots along the way, but how long do you remember those? Isn’t it interesting how one bad shot can occupy our minds longer than several good ones?
In baseball, a pitcher must have a short memory. He might throw a great pitch, and yet, milliseconds after releasing the ball, the batter hits it over the fence.
Nothing can get the pitch back or change the outcome. He must regroup, trust his preparation, and face the next batter.
The same is true when he throws a great pitch. He can’t afford to celebrate it for too long. It’s one pitch at a time. The pitcher must press on, whether the last pitch was a success or a failure.
Golf requires much the same mentality. Once a bad shot is in the books, we can’t change it. We can learn from it and press on.
It’s good to remember the great shots, but we can’t stay in those moments because the game calls for another shot.
You can’t change the last pitch, the last shot, or the past. But you can choose how you approach what’s next.
Paul understood this principle in Philippians 3:13–14. We are to forget what lies behind and press on toward the goal of our heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.
He wasn’t suggesting that our mistakes don’t matter or that we should ignore the lessons of the past. He was reminding us not to let the past keep us from moving forward with Jesus.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. We all have moments we wish we could take back—words we shouldn’t have spoken, decisions we regret, and sins we wish had never happened.
The enemy may scream at us that God doesn’t care about our pain and suffering. The accuser is constantly trying to get into our heads, telling us that our past sins, shame, and guilt define us.
The devil will remind us of our past, but the Holy Spirit will remind us of our future with Jesus.
What a powerful reminder! When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). Our failures are real, but they don’t have to define us. Our identity is found in Jesus, not in our worst moments.
And just as we remember a great shot to encourage us on the course, we can remember God’s faithfulness in our lives—His forgiveness, His provision, and His presence through difficult times.
Those memories remind us to trust Jesus as we face what’s ahead. His record and performance on our behalf are flawless and perfect.
So, the next time you hit a bad shot, learn from it, let it go, and focus on the shot ahead. And when the enemy reminds us of our past, remind him of his future—and remember our future as children of God! Receive God’s grace and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
One pitch at a time. One shot at a time. One day at a time—with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord, help me learn from my mistakes without living in them. Remind me of Your grace when I’m tempted to dwell on my failures. Thank You that my past does not have the final word and that my future is secure in Jesus. Help me press on faithfully toward the calling You have placed before me. Amen.