June 9

Become a Now Person

…One thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

PHILIPPIANS 3:13–14

Regret over the past is a primary thief of joy and peace. Whether a mistake was made twenty years ago or twenty minutes ago, there is nothing you can do about it except repent, receive forgiveness, forget the past, and go on. If there is something you can do to undo the results of your mistakes, then by all means, do it. But the bottom line is that you still must let go of the past in order to grasp the future.

Like Paul, we are all pressing toward the mark of perfection, but none of us have arrived. Even though he endured difficulty, I believe Paul enjoyed his life journey and ministry, and this “one aspiration” of his was part of the reason why. He had learned to forget his mistakes and refused to live in regret of the past.

Always remember that regret steals now! God has called us to be closer to Him in the now. When we cling to the past, we lay aside our faith and stop believing, then lose our peace and joy.

Let this be a day of decision for you—a day when you decide to no longer operate in regret. Become a now person. Live in the present. God has a plan for you now. Trust Him today.

God gives grace and joy and peace for today, but He does not give grace today for yesterday or tomorrow. Live life one day at a time.