The Art of Forgetting

As we begin a new year, the Word of God gives us a clear command and a powerful promise: “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” A key to enjoying your life is mastering the art of forgetting the past. Too many people allow old labels, past failures, rejection, and resentment to dictate what God can do in their future. But the Bible commands us to forget—not because the past didn’t happen, but because it does not get to rule what comes next. When you stop allowing yesterday to define tomorrow, you step into freedom.

Joseph understood this truth. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned, he could have lived trapped by bitterness. Instead, he let God redeem his pain. When Joseph named his sons Manasseh and Ephraim, he declared that God had caused him to forget his toil and be fruitful in the land of affliction. That is what happens when you master the art of forgetting—you move forward into God’s blessing. Don’t let anyone box you into their small dreams for your life. Live without limits. Let God guide you through the storm, ignite a burning vision in your heart, and lead you into a future that will never surrender to the opinions of others.