Glance Back – Move Forward

Glance Back – Move Forward (by Tim Klink of Prison Discipleship Ministry)

Philippians 3:13-14

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.

When my grandpa retired he would often comment that he didn’t know how he ever had time to work. His life was very busy helping others. I can now relate to that, and as I look back on the year soon to be past, it is filled with many memories that I can treasure the rest of my life. I often pour a cup of coffee and sink into my recliner after a very busy day, and I glance back to a time that seemed much easier; a time when the demands of others were not so pressing during the time of growing up. I remember the times of walking into my grandparents house and smelling fresh baked rolls in the oven along with the delicious smells of the turkey.

Too often our memory only wants to remember the good times, and dismisses the not so pleasant experiences. It is wonderful to “revisit” those times for a brief moment, but if we allow them to dominate our mind, they will control what God has already planned for our today and beyond.

Memories of past joys and experiences are a wonderful part of life, while the not so joyful times of poor choices, hurt feelings, and disappointment are also the reality of the past. Those are the times we look back on so as not to repeat them as we move forward. If we hold them as boundaries instead of guidelines, we will never fulfill the path that God has prepared for us.

While it is a good thing to glance at the rear view mirror occasionally, if you place your focus on it you will soon be where God never intended you to be. Glance at the past but keep your focus on the way ahead of you as God leads and directs. It may not be an easy path, it may not be a path that makes sense at the time, and it may not be the path that you would have chosen, but press forward in Jesus.