Daily life with Jesus by Grahame Howard: Look through the windscreen, not the rear-view mirror

"Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead."

Philippians 3:13 CSB

The Israelites wandered around the wilderness for years when their journey should have only taken a short while. Most of the originals didn't make it there but died in the arid desert. Why was this? Because they hung on to the past. Initially, they wanted to go to the Promised Land but, then they realised that they would have to rough it and eat Manna and such like and, not have the 'luxuries' that they had in Egypt. So they complained and moaned and blamed Moses for all of this. They hung on to the past so much that their promised tomorrow never came.

What do we learn from all of this? Stop living in the past; stop being chained to it. When Jesus Christ came into your life, He broke the chains and they fell off. Don't put them back on again. To reach your future, you must forget the past; this way you will get a greater tomorrow. Paul in this 3rd Chapter of Philippians admitted that he had not yet reached the goal of perfection. In fact, he wrote in Ch 1:6 that he was certain that Jesus would make sure he got there as long as he stopped looking back. Think about it, if you were driving your car and instead of looking through the windscreen, kept looking through the rear-view mirror, you wouldn't get very far. In fact, it's doubtful that you would get down the road without an accident. Looking back is no good.

The past was yesterday, it was an hour ago and as soon as you have said something, it is also in the past. This of course is a little extreme but, you get the point I hope. Somebody cut you up on the motorway yesterday and it made you angry. That's feasible but, don't keep on about it today, it was in the past.

Listen to me, there are things in your past that you are still remembering; the memory keeps cropping up. You may have been bitterly hurt years ago. That is awful but it was years ago - in the past. You need to allow the chains to be broken from it and move on. Your marriage may have crumbled this past year. The pain is very raw. Somehow, you need to stop re-playing the video of the hurt, forgive and start to re-build your life again. Someone won't come along and build it for you; you may have counselling but, the counsellor will not re-build your life again, they will just point you in the right direction. Re-building your life is down to you, together with Jesus.

To stop looking at the past is not easy, but is essential if you want to go forward and only you can make this choice. Jesus is in your future. He is now with you to help you have that future (Jeremiah 29:11.) And what's more, He wants to take hold of your hand and gently take you there. But will you let Him? Do it, you know it makes sense.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen'

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