Living In The Past: Exploring The Solution
Living in the past can be divided into two types: dwelling on past success, which is when one constantly revisits and thinks about past achievements, and focusing on past failure, which is when one is consumed by regret and self-criticism over past mistakes. Whether one focuses on past success or failure, dwelling in the past is detrimental to us. This article reveals why it’s harmful and teaches you how to let go of past achievements or mistakes, liberating you from their hold and empowering you to achieve more meaningful success.
Scriptural Reference
My friends, I don’t feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead.
I run toward the goal so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. (Philippians 3:13-14 CEV)
Why Living In The Past is Awful
Living in the past can be defined as dwelling on what has already happened. Some people focus on past success, while others think about their terrible mistakes and failures. Both types of living in the past have devastating effects.
The Effect Of Dwelling On Past Success
When someone dwells on their past success, it can lead to a false sense of security and complacency. That can distract the person from what lies ahead, resulting in their failure. For instance, if a student allows their past academic achievements to swell their head, they might not put in the required effort for coming exams, leading to a decline in their grades.
Similarly, suppose a footballer allows their achievements to inflate their ego. In that case, they might focus on past success instead of making necessary efforts to improve in future games. That would lead to a decline in performance, and eventually, no club would want them.
Likewise, if someone who learns certain vital scriptures allows their head to swell, they will think they have arrived, leading to a lack of enthusiasm to learn more. Consequently, the person’s level of scriptural understanding will drop.
The Effect Of Dwelling On Past Failure
Dwelling on past failures, including regret and self-criticism over past mistakes, is harmful. It causes someone to focus on their mistake, preventing them from improving their efforts to avoid future errors. Hence, those who dwell on past failures continue failing more. Such people are prisoners of their past.
Further, being consumed by regret and self-criticism over past mistakes causes depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicide. Remarkably, many emotional disorders and high blood pressure are a result of people thinking and regretting their mistakes, failures and losses. BBC Sports of 9 December 2013 reported of a Kenyan who committed suicide in Nairobi because Manchester United, a team he supported, lost 0-1 at home to Newcastle United.
His death was a painful one, considering he did not lose money, did not lose a match bonus, was not one of the team’s owners, was not a player in the team, and the owners and players didn’t know him. Yet, he committed suicide because he lived in the past. The most painful part is that some players who lost the game on that faithful day might forget the past and go to a party that same night. But the Kenyan fan committed suicide in faraway Africa. Living in the past is indeed toxic.
Solution To Living In The Past
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul, while talking about reaching the goal of being Christlike, did not feel he had arrived. He let go of what was behind him and focused on what lay ahead, racing to reach the end and win the heavenly prize.
The apostle’s achievements as a servant of Christ were enough to swell his head. Still, he disregarded them and focused on what lay ahead. Similarly, don’t let your achievements distract you from improving and progressing. No matter your achievements, emulate the Apostle Paul by forgetting what is behind you and focusing on what lies ahead.
The truth is that it’s improper to measure achievements or success before the end. Just like it’s wrong for a person doing well in a race to allow their head to swell when the race has not finished, never let your present achievements distract you from continuing in the race of life. Continue racing, as the Apostle Paul, until the end.
Similarly, don’t let your past mistakes or failures consume your thoughts. The deed has been done already. Why worry about it? No extent of worrying can change what has happened. So, the best thing is to focus on how to avoid another occurrence. To prevent a future occurrence and to recover what you lost, you must stop thinking about past mistakes and failures and focus on what lies ahead.
You must forget what has passed to successfully focus on what lies ahead. You can’t focus on what is behind and what lies ahead simultaneously. Anyone who focuses on what lies behind will disregard what lies ahead. Today’s scripture should inspire you to follow the Apostle Paul’s example and focus on what lies ahead rather than being weighed down by the past.
Among the past, present, and future, the past is gone and cannot be changed. Whether the past was successful or disappointing and full of mistakes, you must put it behind you. Your ability to stop thinking about the past determines your ability to concentrate on what lies ahead. As you focus on what lies ahead, you will be free from emotional disorders and achieve more success in life.
Further Study
Isaiah 43:18 AMP
Prayer Point
Heavenly Father, I ask for the grace never to live in the past in Jesus’ name.
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