You’ve heard the saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” That’s true—but it’s only part of the story. You can learn a lot by looking at your past—but you can’t heal the most pervasive, costly wounds in your life by focusing only on your past. To defeat those giants, you’ll have to look ahead.

Too often we try to find healing by looking in our rearview mirrors. When we do that, we’re more likely to crash than heal.

In Job 11, Job’s friend tells him how to get rid of painful memories and move on with his lives. He says, “Put your heart right, Job. Reach out to God . . . Then face the world again, firm and courageous. Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more” (Job 11:13, 15-16 GNT).

First, put your heart right. You do what’s right—no matter what the other person does. It’s always right to forgive those who’ve hurt you.

Second, reach out to God. Invite Jesus into every room in the house of your heart. Often, we’ve invited him into the front room (by accepting Jesus as our Savior)—but not the bedroom, kitchen, or garage.

Third, face the world again. Don’t hide in a shell or withdraw so you don’t get hurt again. Move forward. Learn to live again.

Your past is not your future. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, who you’ve done it with, or how long you’ve done it. Throughout Scripture, God forgives murderers, adulterers, and slackers, and he uses them to do his work in the world.

You, too, have a great future ahead of you. Put your heart right, reach out to God, and face the world again.

And then let God do something incredible through you.