Forgetting, reaching, and progressing in faith

In Switzerland, near the majestic Matterhorn, lies a cemetery where many great mountain climbers are buried. One tombstone simply reads: “HE DIED CLIMBING...”

It doesn’t say, “He died procrastinating,” or “paralyzed by fear.” It doesn’t say, “He gave up.” It could just as well say, “He died with his boots on!”

Pressing On

In Philippians 3:12, the Apostle Paul makes an important distinction. He writes: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

The word “press” in the original Greek means to “pound” or “beat” with relentless force, and it appears three times in context—one of which is translated as “persecute.” Before becoming a follower of Jesus the Messiah of Israel, Paul was "pounding" the church, relentlessly dragging believers toward death.

But after his conversion, he began to "pound" in a new direction, channeling his energy and passion into knowing Christ and fulfilling God’s call on his life, as evidenced by his single-mindedness in verse 13: “One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead.”

I love that—forgetting and reaching!

The Lord doesn’t want any influence—be it fear, failure, or complacency—to hinder our forward movement.

At the time Paul was writing this, he was a prisoner in Rome—bound in chains. Yet even in that confined space, he was “pressing on.” He was laying hold of why God had laid hold of him—to spread the gospel, to bring the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world, to the nations. And even in Caesar’s prison, the gospel was advancing. Paul wrote letters that would go on to inspire billions of people for centuries to come.

Joseph’s Journey

When I think of “forgetting” and “reaching,” I also think of Joseph.

Joseph suffered terribly—betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned. At any point in his journey, he could have chosen to let bitterness define him. He could have said, “I’ve been wronged. Life hasn’t turned out as I hoped. I’ll hold onto my hurt and let my pain paralyze my progress.”

But instead, Joseph kept reaching forward, following God’s guidance and wisdom. Eventually, he rose to become second in command in Egypt, positioned to save Israel during a time of famine.

But it would require one thing: forgiveness.

When Joseph finally confronted his brothers, he chose to forgive them—without which they would not have survived, and neither would Israel. In that moment, Joseph became a living picture of Christ, who on the cross prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Similarly, without Jesus’ selfless love and forgiveness, there would be no hope for Israel, nor for the salvation of mankind.

Forgiveness is one of the greatest needs we all have—both receiving it and giving it. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). 

What forgiveness really means

However, there’s often confusion around forgiveness. For many, it can seem like an impossible or discouraging task. Some believe forgiveness means “forgetting”—erasing the memory of the offense. But that’s not what God means by "forgetting" in Philippians 3:13.

One of the main reasons God calls us to forgive is not to erase the wrongs committed against us, but to release their power over us. (Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean trust is immediately restored or that boundaries aren’t needed.) It means choosing to free ourselves from the grip of injury, healing from past wounds, and moving forward in God’s love.

Five important perspectives:

• Forgiveness is remembering how much you’ve been forgiven. (Ephesians 4:32)

• Forgiveness is relinquishing your right to get even. (Romans 12:19) God is in the avenging business, not you! “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is MINE, I WILL REPAY, says the Lord!’” (Romans 12:19)

• Forgiveness is responding to evil with good. “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)

• Forgiveness begins “vertically” by saying, “Lord, I forgive them ... I choose to release that person from their debt!” and translates “horizontally” with kindness: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

• Forgiveness is repeating the process as long as necessary. (Matthew 18:21-22)

Forgetting, Reaching, and Progressing in Faith

The question is: What is the Lord calling you to be "forgetting" and "reaching" for today?

God is in the process of making you into the person you never thought you could be—more like Jesus. 

He cares more about who you are becoming than about what you've accomplished.

Your journey in God’s will isn’t about achieving perfection—it’s about pursuing progress. 

For that to happen, we must first receive the forgiveness Jesus won for us on the cross and then extend that same forgiveness to others.

So, keep climbing the mountain of God’s will for your life! There is always more to learn of Jesus, and more of His resurrection power to experience!