Then there are those who talk primarily about the future. For some, they just want the future to be as good as they wish the past had been. They long for a better tomorrow. If only the world could be just the way they want it to be going forward. For others, the future is a terrible place where all of their worst nightmares will come true. They worry about their health, or their finances, or their relationships.
But I would like to share a different perspective. One that those who believe in Jesus strive to live by each and every day.
The past is the past and I cannot do anything about it. I cannot undo the things I wish I had not done. Nor can I go back in time and do the things I wish I had. The past is gone. I can do nothing about my past. But God can. He forgives my past. He does not allow me to be chained to the person I used to be. He loves me in spite of my past. He makes me into a new person.
I cannot control the future. I can choose to be consumed with worry over what will happen in the future, but the truth is that I do not even know how long I will live. Sickness, accidents, disasters claim lives every day. But I can rest secure in the fact that God controls the future. He will take care of me, provide for my needs, and see that I will live with him forever.
That just leaves me to decide how I will live today. No need to dwell on the past or worry about the future. Just live today as a follower of Jesus. You too can be free from the guilt of the past or the worry about the future. Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org or join the blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.
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