The brain is a powerful organ — and some may argue the most powerful of all. It reminds us not to touch the hot stove and to look both ways when we cross the street. It’s responsible for our range of emotions and our plethora of thoughts. It’s a pretty big deal.

Our brain, for better or worse, holds hundreds of thousands of memories inside of it. It remembers the time you broke your arm and the time your grandma gave you the best birthday present ever. It remembers the date of your baptism and when you met the love of your life.

And, if you’re a human like me, your brain remembers some not-so-great memories, too.

You know the kind — the time you yelled at your brother for the scratch on your car; your jealousy when your friend got engaged before you; the harsh words you said to your coworkers when they were late on a project. The memories that I think back on and cringe about — the ones where I wish I had done/thought/said something differently. The ones that I seem to keep going back to time and again. The ones that drag me down, make me feel guilty, and make my insides squirm.

The ones that linger.

Philippians says to forget the things that are behind and reach towards the things that lie ahead. God knew I would struggle with my own self from time to time, but He encourages me not to dwell on those moments for too long. If I do, then I can find myself in a downhill spiral of regret and defeat.

Instead, He wants me to do something very important: Press on!

I must acknowledge the mistake, the negative thought, the anger I felt; ask forgiveness of the person I hurt (whether friend, sister, or God); and let it go. Easier said than done, of course. But, He wants it to be simple.

When I walked into the waters, I arose with a clean slate. God erased all that came before and now focuses only where my next steps will take me. He let go of the past and put His attention on my future. He doesn’t linger on what happened in my previous life — He is excited about the things that lie ahead.

If you have a lingering memory that you can’t seem to get rid of, then ask God for peace and to let it drift away. Ask Him to remove it from your brain so you aren’t bogged down by it any longer. Ask Him, instead, to replace it with a new memory — one of strength and smiles.

Today’s the Last Day

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This article has undergone ministry review and approval.