Focus Forward
Are you consumed with problems from your past? Are you overwhelmed with challenges in the present, Are you worried about the future? This little write up might just help you.
I learned several very practical a useful nuggets whle listening to Jack and Carol Webber from UVA Darden School as they taught a course called “Possiblility Thinking”. One of the key teaching points was about posiitoning your mental framework and it was centered arounf a statement something like this:
Always respect the past, Be brutaly honest about the present, and Be eternally optimistic about the future.
I have come to appreciate hhow will this aligns with a healthy spiritual ajenda.
God wants you to move forward from your past. You need to acknowledge your past; You were born a sinner and need a saviour. Once you acknowledge and confess your sins and commit to turn from them, He forgives them so you do not have to dwell in the past and fret about your prior choices, they are behind you.
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14
You are called to deny yourself. To turn from a focus on you and your own earthly interests and agendas, and become focused on your eternal soul and His agendas working through you. You are called to put off the old man, and put on new life through Christ. Once the earthly, flesh oriented, self has been put to death on the cross with Jesus, there is no place for guilt, condemnation or shame to take hold in you. You are free to move forward.
Be honest: Have you denied yourself? Do you worry about your earthly reputation? What people say or think about you? Are you focused on your posessions or how they can help others? If you have not already done it, Submit yourself to Him, Get the “Old you” out of the way, let Him live through you.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1
He wants you to move forward in partnership with Him. Have Faith and walk with Him.
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Mathiew 6:33-34
Lord, Thank you for coming here and becoming a sacrifice for me. I submit myself to you as Lord of my life.. I was born with a sinful nature, and that has cased problems for myself and others in the past. I put my old sinful self to death on the cross with you and i am raised up with you in new life. Thank you for forgiving my sins so that i can focus forward. Your mercy and grace washes my past so i can focus forward. I am a vessel for your use; I invite you to live in me, to form in me, to flow through me, to use me in any way you see fit. With your continued help, I will live as a beacon for your kingdom and bring you glory. I ask this in Jeuss’ name. AMEN