Live Like There's No YesterdaySample

Day Six

No More Hanging Back

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Hebrews 13:5

When we consider our abilities and uniqueness and the needs and opportunities around us, we can begin a process that has the potential to energize us and make a difference for others. We can start a new past today.

While the future may be changing rapidly, there are some things we can know with certainty. The first is Jesus’s promise to never leave us nor forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5). This means that, even in the midst of uncertainty, we are never alone. The Lord who knows us, made us, and calls us by name is with us in every circumstance. 

In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Knowing that the old has passed away and the new has come helps us realize we are all living in the present right this second. We can’t live in the past, and we certainly can’t live in the future. 

Sometimes I think I dwell on past successes and failures because I’m afraid the present won’t be very good. This can feel safe because the past is all I know, which can make now seem a bit unsettling. Believe me, there are times I wish I could turn back the clock and do things differently, though the chances of that happening are pretty small. So I need to accept the gift of forgiveness and accept the fact that I need to be forgiven in the first place. 

I also need to look around and take an honest assessment of here and now, which includes learning how to be present in today’s issues, conversations, struggles, and celebrations. No more hanging back or sitting on the sidelines where I may feel safe and protected. No more thinking about how I used to be somebody and now I’m somebody else. I know things will be different than they were, and that is okay with me. My life is different than it was and different than it will be, but the Lord promised to never leave me, so it’s time to stop lagging behind and step forward with gratitude. Will you join me?

In what ways do you think dwelling on the past helps you feel safe? Why? What would it look like to step forward in gratitude instead?