Keep Moving Forward

Growth happens by moving forward.

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”— Philippians 3:13–14

Father, thank You for another day and another opportunity to grow in You. Sometimes we become comfortable where we are, afraid of what lies ahead, or distracted by what is behind us. Give us the courage today to move when You say move, to trust You when we cannot see the entire road, and to believe that You are already present in the place where You are leading us. Help us release yesterday, embrace today, and faithfully take the next step. Speak to our hearts through Your Word and remind us that when You lead us forward, we never walk alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There are some things in life that we will never discover by standing still.

There are lessons we will never learn until we take another step. There are strengths we will never develop until something requires us to use them. There are places God wants to take us that cannot be reached while we are determined to remain where we have always been.

Growth happens by moving forward.

That does not mean we forget everything that happened behind us. Our past contains lessons, memories, victories, mistakes, disappointments, and testimonies. We should learn from them.

But there is a difference between learning from the past and living in the past.

Paul said:

“Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead…”

Notice those two movements:

Letting go — and reaching forward.

Sometimes the greatest obstacle to our growth isn't what is ahead of us. It is what we refuse to leave behind.

We can become attached to what was.

What we used to do. Where we used to serve. How things used to work. Who used to be with us. What somebody did to us. Even who we used to be.

But God continually calls His people forward.

When God called Abraham, He told him to go.

When Israel stood at the Red Sea with Pharaoh behind them and the sea before them, God told Moses:

“Tell the Israelites to break camp.”— Exodus 14:15

In other words:

Move forward.

The water had not yet divided.

The road had not yet appeared.

But God told them to move.

Sometimes we want God to show us the entire pathway before we take the first step. But faith often works differently.

God gives enough light for the next step.

And sometimes the path becomes visible only after we start walking.

"I'm going to Move Forward because going backwards is not an option, and standing still is not enough."

Forward Doesn't Always Mean Fast

We sometimes confuse growth with speed.

But God isn't necessarily asking you to move quickly.

He is asking you to move faithfully.

Some seasons involve giant leaps. Others involve small steps.

A phone call.

An apology.

A difficult conversation.

Starting again.

Opening the Bible again.

Praying again.

Applying again.

Serving again.

Forgiving again.

Believing again.

Going to church again.

The step may seem small, but if God is leading you to take it, it is still forward movement.

You Can't Grow Without Being Stretched

Think about physical growth. Growth requires change.

The same is true spiritually.

God will sometimes allow us to enter situations that stretch our patience, deepen our prayer life, challenge our assumptions, and require greater dependence upon Him.

We may pray:

“Lord, make me stronger.”

And God gives us something that requires strength.

We pray:

“Lord, increase my faith.”

And He allows us to encounter something we cannot handle without trusting Him.

We pray:

“Lord, help me grow.”

And then He leads us somewhere that requires us to leave our comfort zone.

We shouldn't be surprised.

Growth often feels uncomfortable because we are becoming something we have not been before.

Don't Let Yesterday Stop Tomorrow

Maybe yesterday didn't go the way you expected.

Maybe you made mistakes.

Maybe someone disappointed you.

Maybe an opportunity disappeared.

Maybe a door closed.

Maybe you thought by this stage of your life you would be somewhere different.

Paul's words remind us:

Keep reaching forward.

You cannot change yesterday.

But with God's help, you can decide what you will do with today.

The question is not simply:

“What happened to me?”

A better question may be:

“God, what do You want to develop in me through what happened?”

Because sometimes the very thing we thought would stop us becomes the thing God uses to grow us.

Take the Next Step

You don't have to know what the next ten years hold.

You don't have to understand the next ten months.

Sometimes you don't even know what the next ten days will bring.

But you can ask:

“Lord, what is my next faithful step?”

Then take it.

Don't allow fear to convince you that standing still is safer than following God.

Don't allow regret to keep pulling you backward.

Don't allow comfort to keep you from becoming who God is calling you to become.

There is still more God wants to teach you.

There are still people He wants you to encourage.

There are still places where He wants to use you.

There are still prayers He wants you to pray.

There are still assignments with your name on them.

So, keep going.

You don't have to run.

You don't have to have everything figured out.

You simply have to keep moving in the direction God is leading.

Because sometimes growth isn't measured by how far you've traveled.

Sometimes growth is simply being able to look back and say:

“By the grace of God, I'm not where I used to be.”

Sometimes You Have to Make a Declaration

There comes a time when moving forward has to become more than something we think about. It has to become a decision.

Sometimes you just have to put on a T-shirt that says:

“I’M NOT GOING BACK. I’M GOING FORWARD.”

Not because there was nothing good behind you. Not because you have forgotten where God brought you from. Not because you don't appreciate yesterday.

But because God is calling you toward something that cannot be reached by continually looking backward.

There are some things you simply cannot go back to.

You can't go back to the old mindset.

You can't go back to the fear that once controlled you.

You can't go back to allowing disappointment to determine your future.

You can't go back to being comfortable when God is calling you to grow.

You can't keep rehearsing what happened yesterday while God is saying, “Look at what I am doing next.”

Isaiah 43:18–19 reminds us:

“Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new…”

Sometimes faith has to draw a line in the sand and say:

“I've learned from yesterday. I'm grateful for yesterday. But I'm not living in yesterday. I'm not going back. By the grace of God, I'm going forward.”

And maybe that's the word somebody needs today:

Put on the T-shirt. Make the declaration. Take the next step.

Because growth happens by moving forward.

Father, thank You that You are not finished with us. Thank You for every lesson behind us and every opportunity still before us. Give us wisdom to know what we need to carry forward and courage to release what needs to remain behind.

When we are afraid, remind us that You go before us. When we become comfortable, stir us again. When we become discouraged because our progress seems slow, remind us that even small steps of obedience matter.

Lord, don't allow yesterday's failures to imprison us, yesterday's victories to satisfy us, or today's fears to paralyze us.

Help us keep reaching, keep believing, keep trusting, and keep moving forward.

And when we cannot see the entire road, give us enough faith to take the next step.

For we believe that the God who has brought us this far will continue leading us forward.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Recommended worship songs to accompany your prayer and praise time:

“Moving Forward” — Israel Houghton — Probably the strongest fit. Its entire theme is leaving the past behind and moving into what God has ahead.

“I Won’t Go Back” — William McDowell — Strong connection to Philippians 3:13–14: not returning to what God has brought you out of.