16. Illustrate the danger of holding on to guilt for past sins. (See also picture.)

¹⁶ Consider an illustration. Holding on to guilt for past sins is like trying to drive a car forward while continuously looking in the rearview mirror. It is good to glance occasionally in the mirror; you can respond to potential dangers behind you. But to move forward safely, you must focus on the road ahead. Similarly, it can be helpful if we occasionally look back at our past mistakes; we can learn from them and strengthen our resolve not to repeat them. But if we keep focusing on past mistakes, the guilt we carry may limit what we can do now in serving God. Instead, may we keep focused on the road ahead of us. We are on the road that leads to life in God’s promised new world, where bad memories “will not be called to mind.”​—Isa. 65:17; Prov. 4:25.