Last night I found this little snail on our sidewalk. I couldn’t help but kneel down and take a few pictures of him. How cute is he?! Jonathan said it looked just like the snail that he and Liam saw on a rock all the way on the other side of our condo the other day. My what a journey he has had! As I watched this little guy slowly make his way to his destination (the mulch next to our door), I was reminded of Philippians 3:13-14.

“No, dear brother and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” - Philippians 3:13-14

Letting go of the past can be hard to do (sometimes it feels near impossible), but it is so important in order for us to step out into the amazing destiny God has for us. You cannot move forward into the new while simultaneously holding onto the old. It just isn’t possible.

In order for us to move forward into the new, amazing things that are in store for us, we must let go of the old. We cannot make progress if we are holding onto past hurts, things people have said or done to us, failures, or disappointments. We need to forget these things, and move forward, pressing on!

Sometimes I think it would be nice if we could literally wipe clean the memory of every hurtful thing that has ever been said or done to us. And maybe, even, to completely forget hurtful people who have been a part of our lives at one point or another. But so far, I haven’t found that to be the case. And maybe that is by design. After all, isn’t it the good and the bad that make up a compelling story or adventure? We would never have a victorious ending if there was never anything to overcome.

I’ve found that forgetting what is behind us is a continual process. It’s not just a one-time thing. Whenever those negative thoughts or feelings creep in, choose to cast them aside and focus on the truth of what God has said about you and the hopeful future He has for you.

Forgetting what is behind can also mean letting go of the “good ‘ole days.” I don’t think we should forget good times in our past, no, we should celebrate and be thankful for them! But if we continually live our lives longing for what used to be, then we will never experience the even better days that are in store for our future!

Just like the snail in front of our doorstep never would have made it there if he was fixated on his past (that rock on the other side of our condo), we will never make it to our amazing future if we are continually holding onto what is behind us.

So, friend, let’s let go and move on! **Cue “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen**  Even better days are ahead of you.  

One thing that God has been teaching me lately is to fully realize that He loves me for me, not for what I do for Him. Too often I have attached my worth to my accomplishments or to how much I was pouring out and helping other people. But during the past few months especially, I have been learning what it means to just abide. To rest. To be. And to know that God loves me just as much when I’m not able to do much, as he does when I am working myself to the bone.

This is something I’m still in the process of learning. It is something that I still struggle with at times for sure. But this realization is truly transforming me in ways I never knew possible. What I do doesn’t define me.

I’ve been on modified bed rest off and on (mostly on) for a while now. This pregnancy has been so different, and has challenged my way of thinking in many ways. There have been many days when I haven’t been able to take my son, Liam, to the park to play. Or days when I haven’t even been able to make dinner. Or do the dishes. And many times I have been overwrought with guilt and felt like I was less of a mom and wife because I was falling short in these areas.

Then this morning, when I was wrestling with some of these same thoughts, I read this…

“So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

Doing all things for the glory of God isn’t just referring to the seemingly “important” or “sacred” things. It may simply mean resting, or eating your lunch with your toddler, or giving yourself enough grace to just be you without all the crazy expectations from other people or yourself.

Your striving for significance and acceptance is only doing more harm than good. You do not need to earn God’s approval or love. He gives it freely. And it makes His Father heart sad when we do not understand this. He is not keeping a scorecard of all of our accomplishments to see if we’ve done enough on any given day. He simply wants a relationship with us. He cares more about the contents of our hearts than the contents of our to-do list.

Remember this, friend…God loves you for you, not for what you do.