“Focusing all my energies on this one thing . . looking forward.” Phil 3:13 NLT.
In God, your preferred future is unencumbered by your history.
My thoughts and comments today are about “a preferred future.”
I have a common sense rule about driving. Your car should not move in a direction other than where you are presently looking. Failure to do so can result in an accident you did not intend. I remember a time I ignored my common sense rule. I assumed I did not need to be looking the direction I was going; I was very wrong. In the middle of an empty parking lot, I backed into the concrete base of a light pole. Those serious scuffs remained on my bumper as a practical reminder.
Life is also like that. Life does not work the way it should, unless you are looking where you intend to go. Painful experiences of the past distract attention from your future. Unsuccessfully, many people attempt progress while weighed down emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually from past choices and foolish mistakes. Your past can become your prison, diminishing present possibilities and pushing potential further from your achievement. Bring your history to Jesus in humility and sincerity.
Who does not have regrets? Moses regretted his anger and impetuous action, requiring he flee from Pharaoh. David regretted his deceit and adultery. Paul sorely regretted his pursuit and persecution of Christ-followers, later writing, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” See 1 Timothy 1:12-17 NKJV. Peter regretted his shameful denial of Jesus; in repentance, Peter found forgiveness. In remorse for his betrayal of Jesus, Judas destroyed himself. The effect of your history – for better or worse – depends on whether you will trust God with all of it.
Every day and with every attitude, action, and choice you are defining your future. Is it the future you prefer or one crafted by random occurrence? God has a preferred future for you. Don’t let your history prevent you from experiencing God’s best today and tomorrow.
Certainly, acknowledge your past – both failures and successes, mistakes and accomplishments, hurts and happinesses – but don’t dwell there. Dwelling on what is unchangeable results in undesirable symptoms, such as unrelenting discouragement, regrets, guilt, inconsolable grief, or diminished confidence. In God, your preferred future can be unencumbered by your history.
From his personal example, Paul gave wise, practical counsel, “I am focusing all my energies on this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ is calling us up to Heaven.” Phil 3:13-14 NLT. Read those words again, thoughtfully. In them, I see simple but practical requirements for successful progress: singular focus, relinquishment of the unprofitable, anticipation of a preferred future, diligence and unrestrained effort, and Godly objective. Does your life demonstrate those traits?
Progress requires focus. Forward is the wise direction for your focus, if you plan to go somewhere more than where you have already been. Forward momentum is diminished by lack of focus and loss of direction. Denying reality doesn’t work so well; learn from the past but then move forward. Ask God’s forgiveness and accept His redemption, and press forward in grace. God’s future for you is preferred, every time. See Jeremiah 29:13 NIV.
My prayer for you today is that you will trust God with both your history and future.