When driving, how often do you use the rear view mirror? It’s used for the occasional looking back, but if you looked in it for most of your driving, it would be dangerous to move forward. Our lives should be lived the same way. I’ve known people who live in their past. They feel like their best years are behind them. I’ve known other people who are prisoners of their past. They can’t move forward because of something that happened back there. When our past is disrupting our present and keeping us from our future, we’re spending too much time looking backwards. I’ve spent a lot of time in my life looking in my rear view mirror reliving the pain, but God reminded me that He can use the past to bring healing to others if I’ll look ahead.
When Israel was set free from their captivity in Egypt, they were thrilled. They were given gold and silver on their way out to let them know God was taking care of their future. He also was out front with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. However, every time they encountered some kind of hardship or difficulty, they immediately began to look in the rear view mirror. They saw their slavery as a form of security. When God showed them the Promised Land and He had prepared for them, they rebelled. Numbers 14:4 says, “Then they plotted among themselves, ‘Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!’” (NLT). They were so bound up by their past, they wouldn’t fight for their future. They were willing to sacrifice the blessings and provision of God to return to their bondage.
Proverbs 4:25 says, “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.” You will always travel in the direction you’re looking. God has prepared a future for you full of hope and blessings. Don’t miss it because you’re looking backwards. You will encounter hard times. You will be expected to go through some battles. Don’t let those push you back into your past. Instead let them strengthen you and give you confidence in what God is doing in you. A piece of clay can on,y become pottery after it’s been through the fire. Your best days are ahead of you. Your healing is ahead of you. Your victory is ahead of you. Quit using the rear view mirror of your life to look backwards when what God had for you is ahead.
Photo by Darwin Vegher on Unsplash
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 