Blessed
There are times when I’m so busy walking through the pages of my life that I forget to stop and take a look back at where I’ve been. The past always looks so different from the angle of the present. I think it’s wise to evaluate where I’ve been to be better equipped for where I’m going.
When I look back at the blessing of God on my life, my heart becomes full of gratitude. Looking back I can see His hand at work – in fact His involvement in my past is clearer now that I see it from here.
The Lord gave His people three important feasts to celebrate their past. He is keeping the journey to the Promised Land in clear perspective. Check this out…
16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: 17 each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17 NIV)
I can see my future so much clearer when I take a closer look at where I’ve come from. Sometime when I look back on my journey, I might just recalibrate the path I’m on in order to incorporate the lessons learned from my past that I might have overlooked.
Today and everyday that I take a look back, I notice the blessing of God. He was always there through the hard times; the suffering; the joys and the sorrow. His Presence is a huge game-changer as I walk through the ups and downs of life. I can’t imagine facing my future without Him.
I remember an old hymn that I learned at an early age called: Count Your Blessings. Here are the words to the chorus:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done. (1897 Johnson Oatman)
Reflection on my blessings in the past puts proper perspective on my present and helps shape my future.
Pressing On!
Dwayne