“Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.” 

– Proverbs 4:25

In the early 2014 season, when the Patriots suffered a devastating blow with Tom Brady at the helm, Bill Belichick strutted up to the mic and dropped the timeless classic, “We’re on to Cincinnati,” in response to every single reporter’s question. But that wasn’t all – Bill didn’t just gift us with a legendary meme moment; he also dished out a golden nugget of life wisdom straight from the Scriptures.

Those reporters just couldn’t let go of the past loss, pestering Bill to dwell on it. But ol’ Bill had already mentally checked out of the pity party and was laser-focused on the next game. No looking back for this guy! If you fancy a laugh, check out the infamous press conference below.

Too often in life, we find ourselves looking back at our failures, losses, and sins with a sense of overwhelming regret. “I can’t believe I did that!” Alternatively, we tend to compare our lives to others, which can be equally debilitating. “I can’t believe they could do that!” It’s important to acknowledge that while learning from our past and from others is essential, there’s a profound difference between dwelling on the past and deriving valuable lessons from it, living in the past and learning from the past.

The Apostle Paul seemed to reiterate this same principle when he said, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on” (Philippians 3:13-14a). There’s a holy remembrance in the Christian life, but there’s also a holy forgetfulness. If our view of our past is keeping us from maximizing the present, then perhaps we need to adopt the wisdom of this ancient proverb and say with Coach Bill, “We’re on to Cincinnati!”

You might remember what went down after that humiliating Patriot’s loss. They welcomed the unbeaten Cincinnati Bengals, trounced them, and then went on to win Super Bowl XLIX later that season.

Friend, losses happen, but your season isn’t over. Keep looking to Jesus and keep running the race by faith. Never give up because Jesus never gives up on us. When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, cleanse us, and refocus us by his Spirit on what’s most important and on what’s next.

So, what’s your “Cincinnati”? What’s the next right thing that God is calling you to do? Despite the setbacks, let’s learn from them and keep looking forward to the bright future that the God of all grace has for us.

“Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.”