“What is the point of dragging up sufferings that are over, of being miserable now, because you were miserable then?”Seneca
In modern life, this Stoic idea reminds us that dwelling on past pain only perpetuates suffering in the present. For example, if a coworker made a hurtful comment in the past, choosing to constantly replay it in your mind will only bring unnecessary distress now. Instead, focus on the present moment and practice acceptance to free yourself from needless suffering.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The verse encourages us to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. By focusing on the present and looking forward to the future, we can move past past sufferings and live courageously in the present. This aligns with the Stoic idea of not dragging up past miseries to avoid unnecessary misery in the present.