They say you can’t change where you came from, but you can change where you’re headed.
Now is all you have. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been, or what you’ve done. The paths you walked when you were younger are worn down, trampled by the footprints of the generations after you. You’ve lived, you’ve learned, and you’re still learning on the path you’re traveling now.
Don’t look back. Don’t look back on your accomplishments or mistakes, on the choices you made a day or a decade or a lifetime ago. Don’t waste today dwelling on the victories that are now history. Abandon your regrets; let go of your resentment over how you were brought up. Leave behind others’ offenses against you, as if that gives you an excuse to treat them poorly (it doesn’t). Don’t waste your time revisiting those old hurts.
Instead, look ahead to where Christ is leading you today, to what He’s calling you to be and do at this stage of your life right now.
“And another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.’ Jesus answered him, ‘No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.’” – Luke 9:61-62
If a farmer looks back while plowing his field, the row he’s plowing won’t be straight. Once one row goes a little crooked, each subsequent row will be crooked, and the field won’t look or produce the way the farmer had intended it to. In a similar way, if you keep looking back at your past instead of focusing on your blessings of today, you’ll miss what Christ has in store for you and what He wants to accomplish through you in the days and years ahead.
Keep your eyes on Christ and His promises: His constant presence, His love, strength, forgiveness, peace, friendship, and eternal joy. He’s not keeping track of what happened in your past. Give Him your whole heart today. Don’t wait until you have everything in your life set in neat little rows; that might never happen. Be all-in with Him. Be His enthusiastic follower. Let His love burn in your heart for your neighbors. Follow Christ’s way – loving all people; repaying evil with good; opening your hearts, hands, and wallets to the needy; and trusting that He is always with you and always loving you.
Leave your past behind you and let Him lead you ahead to experience His love and everything good He has in store for you, today.
“Lord, keep me focused on You and Your promises for me!”
Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell Comments are always welcome!
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P.S.
We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/...
Also, if you’re able to help the people of Maui, here are a few organizations that are accepting donations:
The Hawaii Community Foundation
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