Over the past few weeks, my son and I have been re-watching the TV program “This Is Us.” We both enjoyed the show the first time around yet seeing it again has brought new insights and led to some interesting discussions about family and relationships.
The onset of the new year likely caused many of us to look back over the prior twelve months. We either remember the time fondly or perhaps we have a regret or two over poor decisions or other challenges we experienced.
However, we cannot or should not get stuck in our past but rather use it to make our today and tomorrow better. As our good pal Rafiki from The Lion King says, “The past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.”
The Bible also tells us that we are to put our past in our past and look ahead to all God has in store for us today as well as in our future.
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV)
The words above were written by the apostle Paul who had a great attitude about the past. As you know Paul was a persecutor of Christians and did some not so nice things before God turned his life around.
While Paul’s past likely haunted him from time to time, if you read his epistles, he does not go on and on about it. He doesn’t play the victim. Instead, he declares the victory he has experienced as he walked in God’s plan and purpose for his life.
Oh sure, there were still bumps along the road but Paul refers to these as “light and momentary afflictions” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). I’m not sure I’d have the same attitude if I was shipwrecked, in prison and bitten by snakes as Paul was, but we can see that when we have the right perspective, God has a way of making beauty out of ashes (Isaiah 61:3).
As you embark on the new year, I hope that as you reflect on 2024, that you will be able to pull out the lessons learned, recall the times of God’s grace, and give thanks for the blessings you experienced.
Only God knows what lies ahead, but if we press on as the Apostle Paul did, I’m confident that we will achieve our goals and our future will be a victorious one!