Played: 36 | Download | Duration: 00:03:05

Pressing On

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Some of life's greatest roadblocks are not the ones we see through the windshield; they are, instead, the roadblocks that seem to fill the rearview mirror. Sometimes, because we are imperfect human beings, we find it difficult to accept the past. We simply can't seem to let go of our pain, so we relive it...with predictably unfortunate consequences.

Of courses, no amount of anger or bitterness can change what happened yesterday. Tears can't change the past; regrets can't change it. Our worries won't change the past, and neither will our complaints. Simply put, the past is, and always will be, the past. Forever. Zig Ziglar wrote: "The pages of your past cannot be rewritten, but the pages of your tomorrows are blank."

Can you summon the courage (and the wisdom) to accept the past and move on with your life? With the help of God I know you can. Then, you can fully engage yourself in the present and, by doing so; build a better future for yourself and the ones you love.

So, if you've endured a difficult past, accept it and learn from it, but don't spend too much time there. Instead, trust God's plan for your life and look to the future for God's blessings. He intends to use you in wonderful, unexpected ways if you let Him. The desire to seek God's plan and look to the future is very healthy. Don't let bitterness - or any other sin - get in the way.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to live in the present, not in the past. Help me focus on my blessings, not my sorrows. Give me the wisdom to be thankful for the gifts that I do have and not bitter about the things that I don’t have. Empower me to accept what was, give thanks for what is, and have faith in what most surely will be: the promise of eternal life with You. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen