Don't Look Back.

"My life was so much better back then..." Have you ever thought that or even said that? I have. But there is danger in this type of thinking.
The past is the past for reason. We can't go back to it by rules in the boundaries of existence, but we all dream of those days "when things were good." Maybe you are someone who has never wished for the past, and if that is, this is good. You are blessed. But for most people, memories get sweeter as the time goes by and so the reality of the past begins to get foggy.
If we saw things as they really were, we probably would not wish for the past, because in reality the past was probably just as bad, if not worse as the mess you are in right now that has you wishing for the past! I've found this to be true in my own life. I glance back at the rosy image I see in pictures frames and I think, "wow life was simpler back then," or " boy I wish I could only have that gift or freedom back"...or the worst one, " I know to much now to live with the kind of joy I had back then..." Wrong. wrong and wrong. Those statements are all wrong. This thinking is all wrong.
I was struck by this as I was "interrupted" earlier than I wished this morning by the cry of a small child. I put down what I was doing and slumped down in the chair to feed her. And my mind began to wander...wasn't it nice back when...
And as soon as the thought entered my mind, I nearly shouted, "NO!" Startling my tired child in my arms, and even startling myself, but it seems the Lord's truth has begun to sink in and I am glad.
In Genesis 19:26, Lot's wife looked back, and anyone who had read this story has struggled with what happened next I'm sure. She turned into a pillar of salt. God told Lot and his wife NOT to look back at the desolate past they we forced to leave. I say forced but really there was no other way if Lot and his family wanted their lives to continue. The place they were living was not longer inhabitable  and God, knowing what was best for them, moved them forward. Isn't that way things are for us as well? God see's that we need to grow. He knows it's time to move us forward, but this of course requires leaving something behind us. Leaving is not usually easy. It takes getting out of what's comfortable, and until we leave, we don't even realize what else is out there. Isn't the key of changing position or direction though? If you never change, how will you know? And if God is prompting, prodding or pushing you to change, you really ought to listen. He sees what we cannot and He moves us when He knows it's time. And as we step forward and trust Him later perhaps we may get to see why He did what He did in our lives. Sometimes we don't see it till much, much later, but trust me, if we stay in the same "comfortable" spot for all time, we will most likely miss much of what He had in store for us. God is sovereign but we can be rebellious, and we will face consequences for our rebellion. Lot's wife did. Her rebellion tasted salty. (sorry, bad joke)
We are told in Hebrews 11:14-16  of a people who were "looking for a country of their own, ones who were longing for a better country, - a heavenly one."
And of course, "God had prepared a city for them." vs 16b
When we long for eternity, the changes of today seem less difficult when we keep two things in mind: #1 being that God is always working for the good of those who love Him, and He has prepared for us a life that will not end in eternity. I find GREAT comfort from those two principles.
BUT, what about right now? When my Monday feels like death, and my Tuesday feels like sorrow, and my Wednesday feel's like "barely surviving.." And so on. Those types of seasons in our lives do come, even for the most devout believer. Everyone has a day where they look to heaven and say, "why this Lord...?"
Everyone has a day where we are tempted to say, "yesterday looked better...."  But those are the days we fix our eyes on Jesus, and THANK Him for the day He made for us, and rest in the fact that He is working for our good TODAY. Yesterday may have felt better, (or at least it does now that is't today) but in reality, even if yesterday looked better, we shouldn't be tempted to take too long of a look, or really look at it at all. Instead, to find our true contentment in Christ, and what Christ is doing in our lives TODAY, if we wake up on any given day and feel like, "this stinks..." We should hit the floor on our knees and pray for joy for this day.
I heard someone say once that even on the crummiest of days, she thanks God first thing, and tells Him that she is grateful for the day, because just the fact that she has breath in her lungs, and day before her, she knows He is watching out for her. She recognizes that GOD made that day, and she will rejoice and be glad in it. I've tried to adopt that prayer and thinking because that's the kind of stuff that breaths and speaks life into your day, heart and mind.
It goes like this, think not, feel not, say not. If you abolish wrong thinking through the power of the Lord, you never let the thoughts take root in your heart, mind and attitude. Stop the wrong thinking before it manifests into a root, or seed of bitterness. Those seeds of bitterness are harder to dig up and get rid of after they have festered and grown for a few days.
I don't a giant tree of bitterness growing in my heart. Folks my start to notice and black leaves begin to grow out of my nose, ears and eyes. I give you this word picture for what actually happens in our hearts when we let the past steal our joy for today.
There are two phrases I repeat daily. 1) There is JOY to be had in today. And 2) Don't look back.
It's like Jesus says to me, " Eyes one me darling. Don't look others lives and see if their happier then you. And don't look at your past to see if that seemed better to you. Don't judge things by what you think you see. Rather, fix your eyes on me. I will not steer you wrong."
Do you believe this my friends?
I pray these words of life speak hope into your hearts, not matter what the weather looks like in your life, there is joy to be had. Ask Him, He is the great supplier.