How much time do we waste dwelling on the past?  It doesn’t change anything.  And yet we do dwell on the past.  We sit not doing anything and dwell on unkind words, lack of upbringing, irresponsible parents, bad decisions, mistakes, sins and anything which makes us unhappy with others.  The list could go on interminably.  What a waste of time, for the past cannot be changed.

It’s the same as looking in the rearview mirror of your car.  There is no need of a windshield if all we are going to do is look behind.  And a certainty of a crash is all we get for the effort.

Many today, and pharmaceutical companies know it well, take pills to get them up, pills to bring them down, pills to make them happy and pills to calm them down.  And on it goes trying to buy peace of mind and cope with situations which will never be changed. The mind is a powerful thing, and instead of heaven made tranquility, some seek it in the bottom of a glass or medications.

God wants us to look forward into the future and not focus on our past.  If we have sinned, then ask forgiveness.  If we have not become a Christian, today is the day.

Don’t wait until tomorrow.  Tomorrow never comes.  Today is the day to ask God His forgiveness.  If we need to make things right with others in our lives.  Do it now.  If we have done wrong.  Make restitution, ask forgiveness from the person and ask God to forgive you.  Clear your heart of the clutter which keeps you paralyzed into doing nothing, for this too is exactly what Satan wants, and will use anything in his arsenal to accomplish his purpose of making you one of his.

You can check the rearview from time to time to see where you have been, but the focus is the windshield of your future, serving God and others.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.       (Philippians 3:13-14)

“I, even I, Am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”        (Isaiah 43:25)

“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”      (Luke 9:62)

We cannot do our best work for Him by focusing on the past and becoming paralyzed by it.  It is a total waste of time, talent and energy.

“You build on failure.  You use it as a stepping stone.  Close the door on the past.  You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it.  You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”       ~ Johnny Cash

 Eileen Light