How can we "forget the former things" in our daily lives today? Revisiting Isaiah 43:18 “Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.” God speaks to Israel—people with real memories of both failure and deliverance—and tells them to stop rehearsing yesterday. The instruction is literal, authoritative, and still binding: let go of the past so you can live in the new work God is doing (v. 19). What “former things” usually look like today • Personal sins and regrets • Wounds others inflicted • Past successes that breed complacency • Old identities that no longer define us in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) • Religious routines that once served but now hinder fresh obedience Why God commands forgetting • His mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:21-23); clinging to yesterday blinds us to today’s grace. • He is always doing “something new” (Isaiah 43:19); fixation on the past stifles participation in His present work. • Dwelling on forgiven sin insults the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 10:17-18). • Harboring past hurts gives the devil footholds of bitterness (Ephesians 4:26-27). • Celebrating bygone victories can dull hunger for fresh obedience (Proverbs 27:1). Practical ways to forget the former things 1. Refuse mental reruns • When memories surface, obey 2 Corinthians 10:5—“take captive every thought.” • Replace toxic memories with truth: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 2. Speak life, not leftovers • Philippians 3:13—Paul said, “Forgetting what is behind.” Make it your confession. • Avoid conversations that glorify past sins or recycle grievances (Ephesians 4:29). 3. Practice daily repentance and faith • Keep short accounts with God; yesterday’s failures end at Calvary (1 John 1:9). • Step forward immediately in renewed obedience; don’t camp in remorse. 4. Set fresh, forward-looking goals • Ask how God wants to use today (Psalm 90:12). • Pursue good works prepared “in advance” for you (Ephesians 2:10). 5. Build memorials of gratitude, not nostalgia • Journal answered prayers to magnify God, not self. • Share testimonies that spotlight His faithfulness, avoiding self-glory. 6. Guard your environment • Remove visual or digital reminders that drag you backward. • Cultivate friendships that stir present-tense faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). 7. Rest in the Spirit’s power • Zechariah 4:6—“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” • Ask Him daily to renew your mind (Romans 12:2) and empower obedience. Living the new thing God’s promise in Isaiah 43:19—“I am about to do something new”—is as literal as His command to forget the old. By choosing to let go of yesterday’s weight, you free your hands for today’s assignments and tomorrow’s glory. |
    |