As we travel through life we may suffer from failure and disappointments. Unfortunately we can get into the negative habit of dwelling on our past. The pain of those memories and experiences can become more vivid and real to us than the promises of God. When we focus on them the pain is re-lived over and over, and we can get ourselves emotionally, spiritually and mentally into a depressive hole.
How we feel today is a sum total of what we were thinking yesterday.
“Too often our problem is that we are forming our thoughts off the past, instead of the future.” Instead God wants us to “Get our eyes off the past and onto our future, a future that’s been guaranteed by Jesus through the great promises in His Word. Forget about the past, that’s what God has done” (Kenneth Copeland).
Neuroscience has discovered that every day we receive in our brains brand new baby neurons to use for the new day. God’s mercies really are new every morning; even in our brains He daily gives us a fresh start. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
If we choose to embrace the good and positive aspects of our day, learning from and leaving behind any of yesterday’s negative experiences, we can wake up every morning to a brand new future.
However if we try to drag all the weights of our yesterday’s into our future we will run into trouble. We can’t “run and not grow weary”; carrying all the weight of yesterday. Especially knowing that as time goes by those weights just get heavier; we grow tired carrying them. Plus more often than not we add to them with subsequent disappointments and failures.
God wants us to live totally free and unhindered from the past. He says, “Let my word and its promises wash you clean and renew you. Replace yesterday’s mistakes with my promises about the future.”
Here are just a few of His promises to encourage you to look ahead today:
“Cast all your cares and anxiety upon Jesus for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established”.(Proverbs 16:3)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”.(Isaiah 55:8-9)
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
“But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13)
Today, instead of looking behind, look ahead!
Prayer: Thank you Lord for your promises. That I can leave behind the past and look ahead knowing you go before me. I hold onto your promises, and believe what you say about my future. In Jesus name Amen.