Philippians 3:13 says, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Note: forgetting and reaching were one fluid movement.

To forget the troubling things from our past is a choice. In truth, what has taken place cannot be changed. Five minutes ago became our past. Our past is finished, over, and done with. Our past only exists in our minds. 2 Corinthians 5:17 is my favorite forgetter verse. It prods me to let the thought go that is not going to serve me well.

Paul wrote, “…old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Let’s go back to the beginning of verse 16. It says, “Therefore from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.” You may have been hurt by someone’s negative or destructive fleshly actions. Paul experienced it over and over. Yet, he chose to let the past go as he reached forward. Constantly bringing up past hurts is futile thinking which causes emotional fatigue.