New Year. New Beginning. New Hope.

Many people will spend the first few hours of new years, contemplating the past year, and coming up with some new year resolutions to make themselves feel better.  In fact this very act is contrary to what Paul taught us in Philippians 3:13,Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal.(NIV). I started thinking about what is so easy for us to take hold of.  We hang on to the past, not just by the memories we have, but also how the year went for us. I often find myself regretting things I did, or did not do.  I look at what could have been, or what should have been.  Base on our shortcomings we make a correction early in the new year and resolve that we will do better in the new year.  But what is the Apostle Paul saying when he says "Forgetting what is Behind"  I believe Jesus always looked ahead.  Our goal in 2012 should not be about changing what we did wrong in 2011, but what will I do for Him in 2012.  I will press on towards the goal, and prize. "My 2012 may very well be nothing 2011 had anything to do about"