In the last letter that I received from a valued friend, now with the Lord, he wrote, “A running hound never looks at his tail.” He was referring to Philippians 3:13-1413Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13‑14): “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The “reaching forth” in the verse describes a hound at full stretch. But the Christian who is continually looking back, brooding over the past and mourning over his failure, is like a hound that has ceased to run and is feeding on its own tail, if such a thing can be imagined. It does not matter whether it is his sins or his sorrows that he broods over; the brooding itself is fatal to all spiritual growth and strength. Both are dishonoring to God, for if a man broods over his sins, he doubts the grace that abounds over them all; if he broods over his sorrows, it is probably because he is at war with the will of God. Both sin and sorrow should humble us and make us walk in lowliness of heart before God, and not proudly or boastfully. But there is grace for the sin, and there is sympathy for the sorrow, so that while we feel them, and feel them deeply, we are not to be overwhelmed by them, but rather find our God and His resources in Christ Jesus greater than both. Finding this, we can press onward to the place from whence the grace and sympathy come.
We would not have a man think lightly of his sins, but we would urge upon him that if he has felt them deeply and confessed them truly, he should have the comfort of knowing that he has been forgiven fully. He should then cast off the hindrance of occupation with them, as Peter did when, on the day of Pentecost, he charged the Jews with denying the Holy and Just One. They might have said, “You did it yourself, Simon.” “Yes,” he could have replied, “I did, and He forgave me and blotted it all out forever, and I am not denying Him now, anyhow.” Nor would we think lightly of the sorrows and losses of others, nor speak harshly of them if they seem to be overwhelmed by them. We would, however, warn them that brooding over them may grow into self-pity and rob them of the comfort from on high that would enrich them through the sorrow. More than this, it will most surely hinder them in the race to the glory where every sorrow will have its answer and where the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus awaits those who run.
J. T. Mawson (adapted)