…Life is like a mirror…smile at it and it smiles back at you.
Some of you reading the title of this blog post thought I just made a type-o and the automated spell-checker didn’t catch it. Well, sorry to disappoint you. No this is a correct spelling. My point is that I am trying very hard to live my life in the “What Is”, i.e., the “present” and stay out of living in the world of “what ifs”; whether that be re-thinking my past or dwelling on the future. At times that is much easier said than done. Nonetheless, we have to stop beating ourselves up regarding our past.
I too have many regrets about past decisions, just like other people, and have fears about my future. This crazy world and the deluge of social media don’t help this situation. This is especially true if your current situation is not what you thought it would be or wanted it to be. Sometimes life happens that is out of our control. But we can’t give in to living a life focused on the past or fearful about the future.
The life of a person who stays focused on “what if”, is a life of discontent and disappointment, excessively fixated on living in the past which makes living in the present much more difficult. I’ve known many people who fall into this category and cannot find the escape hatch. To escape our pasts, we just have to accept our pasts, get out of being in “reverse” and move the lever of life to “drive” and move on.
As Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” [Luke 9:62] That seems to be a stern statement coming from the Lord, but I believe Jesus is telling us to stay focused on what lies ahead, i.e., His kingdom, not our past experiences, which we can do nothing about. Jesus wants us to stay focused on Him and when we do, He promises to help us if we put our faith in Him. Choices have consequences that we all must live with, put behind us, and move on with life. God fully understands this human dilemma. That is why He is here to help us.
If we are always “looking back” about our decisions in life, are we not showing a lack of trust in God’s plan for us? As said in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” If we focus our lives on the “what ifs”, are we putting our own plans and abilities above our trust in God? Isn’t it more comforting to truly believe that God has great plans for each of us as the Scripture passage extols? We have to trust Him to find peace.
I believe to achieve this level of peace, we have to stop living in the world of “what if” and trust God by living in the world of “what is”. So why is living in the “what is” the best place to live? Because that is where God lives. “For in Him we live, move, and have our being.” [Acts 17:28] This “what is” world is where God is all the time.
Stay closer to God in His presence and trust His guidance for your life. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” [Proverbs 3:5-6]
Live the “What Is” life and feel the joy, peace, and comfort that God offers us.
“Keep life moving forward; looking backwards is only for time travelers.” – Rachel O. Washington
Live, Learn, Love and Grow in Jesus!!
Blessings,
Jerry
