Distracted By The Past And Future?
Past, present, and future…so simple, yet so distressing. When you think about the past, are you filled with regret? When you think about the future, are you filled with anxiety? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions then my next question is, “How can we focus on a fresh start if we are consumed with regret and anxiety?”
It’s hard to live in the present moment. When we wake up in the morning, we start thinking about our to-do list. As we go through our day, we can’t stay on task because of thoughts of what we should have done or what we need to get done. When we lay our heads down at night, we replay the day in our minds and wish we could go back and change things; then the next minute we are worrying about what the next day brings ahead.
I’m constantly working on something. My kids are always trying to get my attention away from the phone call I need to make, the meal I need to prep, the words that came into my mind that I need to write down, the mess I’m trying to get cleaned up, the Bible study I’m trying to get done before my class, the list goes on and on. I can’t focus on the present with them because I’m playing catch up from my busy past or planning ahead for the future.
Fresh starts happen in the present. Yes, there does take some planning but the majority of life needs to be lived out in the present moment. Living in the past makes us want to change what we cannot and living in the future makes us worry and fret about what we cannot control.
We have to leave the past behind when we are making a fresh start. Pasts are meant to be learned from, not dwelt on. Let’s face it, we all make mistakes. We recognize those mistakes, repent and ask for forgiveness, and learn from them. When we learn from our mistakes and leave them in the past, it should be easier to make a fresh start. Walk away from the past and never look back. I sometimes lie in bed at night and my past plays in my head like a horror film. That is when I have to shake it off and live in the present moment by praying to God. Praising Him for what He is doing in my life at that moment. Praising Him for His new mercies every day and for the change He has made in me.
Also, as we are making a fresh start, we cannot only focus on the unknowns of the future. The future gives us the feeling of being out of control. We don’t know what to expect. We don’t know what to do in the future because we don’t know what is to come. We don’t know how we will handle certain circumstances that may come our way. We begin to doubt the fresh start Jesus has called us into. We doubt His goodness, His provisions, and His promises. We can’t stay focused on Jesus because we are too focused on ourselves, our plans, our to-do lists, and our desires. If you have read many of my blog posts, you know I have been a planner in the past. I have realized that there is a fine line between healthy planning and destructive planning. Too much planning can lead you straight to failure because you are disappointed when your plans don’t happen the way you anticipated. Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Allow Jesus to work in the present. He has everything under control. He knows what lies ahead in 2022 and He already knows what you will need. Give your resolutions to Him. If you did the pre-work and asked God to give you your resolutions and goals for 2022, you should be good to go. If your goals are the will of God, your strategy is mapped out for you. Wake up each morning in anticipation of direction from God. Listen for Him, look for Him, and be patient. Life does not have to be hard if we are allowing our captain to take the wheel. When we take the wheel, our journey gets bumpy.
If you have not done the pre-work and asked God what He would like you to do in the new year, it’s not too late. God is waiting for us. Ask Him now and patiently wait for Him to guide you into His perfect plan.
We may change as years go by, but Jesus never changes. He was the same in 1980, and He will be the same in 2022. Love His plans for your life. Accept your present moment and look for God’s handiwork in every one of them. Your fresh start begins with God in control and you sitting beside Him, along for the ride. Aww, just writing that takes a load off me!
Digging Deeper:
What haunts you about your past? Have you given it to God and asked for forgiveness? Ask God to take your past away from you and help you start this year with a clean slate.
What worries you about your future? Ask God to give you peace in His sovereignty and trust that He wants what is best for you.
What can you do to practice living in the moment and being patient on God’s perfect timing?