Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14 to encourage the Church to move forward and not focus on the past. This is easier said than done, but it is possible.  Paul persecuted the Christians until he had an encounter with The Lord on the road to Damascus.  He made the transition from being an enemy, to a child of God.  When Paul started preaching and teaching, many Christians had doubts about him because of his past.  The doubts did not stop him, but motivated him even more to press toward the goal of the heavenly calling.  He could have dwelt on his past, but it would have immobilized his present, causing his ministry to be ineffective.   I wonder how many people are ineffective in Church today because of things they did in the past?   Paul wanted the Church in Philippi to be effective and to move forward, but this could only happen if they forget the past and press on.  This is also the same message Paul has for the Church today: forget and press on.   All of us have a past that is trying to weigh us down.

Now, I am talking to you. Where are you in your Christian journey?  Is your past dominating you or are you pressing on and forgetting what is behind you?  There is something I want to tell you:  you are not the only person with things in your past that you wish could be erased.  You have to remember your past is behind you and what matters now is that you are ready to press on toward your goal of the heavenly call!