Focus Forward

When we are faced with challenging circumstances, even hardships, it is difficult to know which direction we should go. Confusion sets in and we're paralyzed. In these moments it's tempting to look back and wish things were as "they used to be".

We recently heard a pastor say, "You can't drive forward looking only in the rearview mirror!"

How true!

And how often we do this and wonder why we're not going anywhere.

Times spent in God's Word can have the same tendency. We can remember a time when God seemed to be sitting right next to us as we read and prayed. Now, why is it I don't feel a thing? What's the point in making all this effort, if I don't get anything out of it. There must be something wrong with me...

And so the downward spiral begins - or driving backwards in our car. All eyes are on me, me, me.

How do we stop? By literally stopping this kind of thinking.

The Bible says to take EVERY thought captive to the obedience of Christ - this includes the guilt and condemnation we feel when we're not performing the way we think we should. We can think slow progress through His Word is no progress at all! And this, my friend, is not true. We have eternity to know our God, we have time. But we must make the time to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us daily.

As we move slowly we never know when a fresh revelation will be right around the corner. We don't want to be distracted looking in the rearview mirror and miss it, do we? Focus forward and enjoy the pace God has set for you this day.