| The Glory of the Common Life |
Chapter 10 |
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We should forget our past attainments, our successes and achievements. A writer tells of a man he had known for twenty five years. The first time he saw him the man told him of a certain good thing he had done many years before – a really good thing which greatly helped a community. He had seen him occasionally ever since, and every time the man told him the story of the fine thing he had done long ago. It was a really good story. The thing he did was worthy. But would it not have been better if he had forgotten that one excellent deed of the long ago in doing other better things a hundred times since? We should never regard any noble deed of ours as our best. We should never look back for the climax of our attainment or achievement. St. Paul was quite an old man when he wrote the words about forgetting past things, but he had forgotten all his past sacrifices and achievements, and was looking forward yet for better and higher work to do. However noble and useful your last year was, however good you were, however much you did for Christ and for you fellow men, forget it all and set about making the next year the best that ever you have lived.
We should forget our past sins. In one sense, we cannot. They will not be forgotten. This ought to keep us humble and make us wary. We should never forget the peril of sin. But sin forgiven should be forgotten and left behind. That is, we should believe in the forgiveness of our own sins which have been confessed and repented of. The other day one was speaking of an experience of over fifteen years back – a sin – and the black shadow still hung over his life, shutting out the sun and the blue sky, hiding the face of God and quenching all joy and hope. That is not the way Christ wants us to do with our sins. He came to save us from them, and when they are forgiven, he bids us go in peace. Put your repentance into songs of gratitude and joy, and into new service. If one day has been spoiled by sin, do not spoil another by grieving over it. Forget your sins in holy and beautiful living.
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