It Must Have Slipped My Mind

Terrance Niedziela Jr.

"Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.”

—Isaiah 43:18–19 NKJV

One morning while walking my dogs, a memory came out of nowhere. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a good one. It was a reminder of pride and selfishness from my past—and I actually groaned out loud in embarrassment.

Have you ever had that happen? A moment that must've slipped your mind — because you thought it was long gone — suddenly pops back into your mind. And when it does… what do you do with it?

That morning, the Holy Spirit gently brought Isaiah 43:18–19 to mind:

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old…”

 

Letting Go of the Past: A Lesson from Isaiah

God told the prophet Isaiah not to remember or even consider the past. That wording is interesting—it doesn’t just mean forgetting, but refusing to keep bringing it up. You probably know someone who always circles conversations back to things that happened years—sometimes decades—ago. They just can’t let it go.

If I’m being honest, I’ve been that person at times. What about you?

So why is God so insistent that we let go of the past?

1. It shifts our focus from God to ourselves.

When we fixate on past failures, hurts, or even successes, our attention shifts away from Jesus—the Author and Perfector of our faith—and onto ourselves. That kind of self-focus is actually rooted in pride. And pride is something God takes seriously because it’s a form of idolatry. We quietly remove God from the throne of our hearts and place ourselves there instead. That’s exactly what Satan attempted to do. He failed—and now he works hard to get us to repeat the same mistake.

2. It distorts reality.

Looking back often gives us a warped view of what really happened. Sometimes we romanticize the past as “the good old days,” celebrating our successes or even glorifying sinful behavior from before we surrendered our lives to Christ. But God sees it differently. Apart from Him, we were bound, lost, and headed in the wrong direction. Even our greatest successes pale in comparison to what God wants to do in us now and in the future.

3. It keeps us stuck.

When we stay focused on what was—good or bad—we miss what is and what could be. The children of Israel are a powerful example. Even after being freed from slavery, they kept looking back to Egypt. Their fixation on the past caused them to miss the fullness of what God had prepared for them.

4. We’re called to remember God’s goodness—not our mistakes.

Scripture doesn’t tell us to forget everything. We should regularly remember what God has done in our lives—His mercy, grace, and faithfulness. Every good thing we have and every bit of spiritual growth we’ve experienced is because of Him. When we thank and praise God daily, He becomes bigger in our eyes, and the past loses its power.

5. Renewing our minds changes our perspective.

Romans 12:1–2 and Philippians 3:12–16 remind us that transformation comes through renewing our minds with God’s Word. When we align our thinking with what God says about our past, present, and future, we gain clarity and truth. The last thing any of us wants is to deceive ourselves into thinking we’re okay when we’re not.

 

Embracing the Future by Releasing the Past

Here’s the key: we can’t fully live in verse 19—“Behold, I will do a new thing…”—until we’re willing to obey verse 18 and release the past. And verse 19 is where I want to live. That’s the life Jesus came to give us.

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Prayer

Heavenly Father,

You alone see everything clearly. You are not deceived, and You are never unaware of the details of my life. Thank You for showing me how focusing on the past can hinder my relationship with You and keep me from stepping into what You’ve called me to. I choose to renew my mind and turn my focus back to You when the enemy tries to bring up old failures or even past successes to trip me up. Please give me the grace and mercy I need to walk free from my past. I love You and thank You for all You’ve done for me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Your Turn

Which do you tend to struggle with more—idealizing the past or replaying past failures and hurts?

1.     When a past memory surfaces—especially one tied to regret or pride—what is your usual response? Do you push it away, dwell on it, or bring it to God?

2.     Which do you tend to struggle with more:

o   idealizing the past as “the good old days,” or

o   replaying past failures, hurts, or mistakes? Why do you think that is?

3.     How have you seen focusing on the past shift your attention away from God and onto yourself or your circumstances?

4.     Are there specific memories or seasons of your life that you sense God is asking you to release? What might it look like to intentionally let them go?

5.     In what ways might holding on to the past be preventing you from seeing—or stepping into—the “new thing” God wants to do in your life right now?

6.     How can regularly remembering God’s goodness, mercy, and grace help shrink the power of the past in your daily life?

7.     What practical steps can you take this week to renew your mind with God’s Word when old thoughts resurface? (Consider specific Scriptures, prayer habits, or worship practices.)

8.     Isaiah 43:19 speaks of God making “a road in the wilderness” and “rivers in the desert.” Where do you need to trust God to do something new—even if you can’t see the path yet?