I know that Philippians 3:12-14 tells me I am to forget what is behind, to look ahead, and strain for the prize that Christ has already taken hold of for me.  But in a different way, I do look back.  I look back at what Christ has done for me since I have known Him and I say WOW!  Over the last week I have been reminded of some of those things.

My sister was in the hospital, which made me think of all the times I lay in the hospital the last three years, and Gods faithfulness to His promises to remain with me, to be my strength, my comfort, and to give me what I needed when I needed it.  The Lord restored a relationship that was important to me by helping me to learn a lesson I needed to learn, while also reminding me of the healing He brought me through years ago.   I read the story of another woman’s struggle with infertility and remember what God did for me when I cried out to him in that same struggle.  Hebrews 12:1-2 is the verse I chose a long time ago as my life verse, my focus verse, whatever you want to call it (The Race Is Worth Enduring).  The song  Stay Stong by the Newsboys captures that kind of focus into music, and I heard it for the first time after seeing the lyrics on a f riends blog today.  That song reminds me why I chose that verse, and what God was doing in my life when I chose the verse.

Being reminded of what God has done for me in the past, looking back at all the incredible things He has been capable of accomplishing for me, makes me want all the more to press on towards the goal to win the prize for which I have been called heavenward in Christ Jesus our Lord.  It is one thing to forget what has been in the past if it mires us down, hinders us, or traps us in sin, as Hebrews 12:1-2 says.  When I look back to see what God has done for me then I am greatly encouraged to continue running the race.  I just need to be careful that I am not looking back for the wrong reasons.