Looking Back
I’m not sure when I started looking back and reflecting so much. I think it happened somewhere around my 45th birthday. I realized that I was over halfway home. The years behind me were more than the years ahead. I believe it’s very valuable to reflect on my past to not only learn from it, but to be inspired by it. There are things in my past that are incredibly painful and tough. There are things in my past that I still can’t describe the joy with words. I can look back and see the hand of the Lord in my life. There are so many times when I’m in the midst of a struggle and it’s hard to see or feel the Lord’s Presence. I know from my past that He is always here though. He never abandons me.
Joshua was well advanced in years and about to pass from this life into eternity. He gets a bit reflective and draws upon the inspiration of the nation of Israel’s journey with the Lord. Check this out…
3 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you.
6 ‘Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.
8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.
9 ‘The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the Lord your God.
14 ‘Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. (Joshua 23:3,6,8-10,14 NIV)
I don’t want to spend too much time looking back and reflecting but I do see the value in learning from my past. I have made mistakes in my past that I don’t want to make ever again. I also don’t want to miss the celebration of the “wins” in my life. It’s often easier to dwell on the losses than the wins. My life’s journey today is shaped by the “losses” and the “wins”. I am more determined than ever to keep walking in step with the Lord because as I look back, my losses would have been way more painful and devastating without the Lord’s rescue. It is so easy to get stuck and beat down in the shadow of defeat rather than pushing through into the great lessons that can learned from journey.
I want to stay close to the Lord and trust in His Promises and His Presence as my future continues to be written into daily increments. I want to be very careful to love and honor God with my whole heart.
Pressing On!
Dwayne