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1100th -- No Future In The Past

  

If we expect to live a blessed, peaceful and joy filled life then we have 
to live for today and for the tomorrow's to come. We should never allow 
our past setbacks, shortfalls and failures to keep us from experiencing 
and relishing in today. There are many people in this world who live in 
the past. They don't allow themselves to enjoy today because they 
continually think about the pain and hurt that they experienced in times 
past. Instead of learning the lesson from that time and becoming better 
because of it, they linger in, dwell on and become stagnant in their 
present life. They believe the lie that their life can't produce any good 
because of what they went through before. What they fail to realize is 
that a new beginning is always possible and every hurt that came their way 
could make them better, wiser and stronger than they were before. They 
simply must believe that their past does not define them, but it can be 
used to their benefit and for the betterment of their life today and the 
days to come.

What we must always remember and keep in mind is that life is full of 
lessons. Our mission should be to learn the lessons from the past and 
allow them to make us better than we were before. We shouldn't wallow in 
the past and continually bring to memory the old hurts and pains that made 
us feel so bad. Instead, we should think on the blessings in our life. 
We should think on how fortunate we've been to come through those 
challenging times and see how they served a purpose for our betterment. 
Always try to think of your past as steppingstones to greener pastures. 
Allow every challenge, trial or difficulty to work to your benefit. See 
the good, see your blessings, see how far you've come and you will soon 
find yourself filled with gratitude not because you went through the 
difficulty, but because you came out of it so much better than you were before.

Let this message be an encouragement to stop dwelling on the past and 
start focusing on your future. See the good that is before you and be 
thankful for it. Allow yourself to be filled with gratitude and 
thanksgiving and make a conscious effort to only think on the good things; 
things that will encourage you, lift you up and remind you of how blessed 
and fortunate you really are. When we focus on the good that is before 
us, we will be closing the door to every negative thought and whisper that 
tries so hard to discourage us. You are a blessed human being. I pray 
that you see it for yourself today and every day to come.

I hope this message inspires and challenges your heart to never dwell on 
the past, but make a conscious decision to focus on the blessings of today.


NO FUTURE IN THE PAST

The man looked a little worried when the doctor came in to administer his 
annual physical, so the first thing the doctor did was to ask whether 
anything was troubling him.

“Well, to tell the truth, Doc, yes,” answered the patient. “You see, I 
seem to be getting forgetful. No, it's actually worse than that. I can 
never remember where I park my car, where I'm going, or what it is I'm 
going to do once I get there -- if I get there. So, I really need your 
help. What can I do?”

The doctor mused for a moment, then answered kindly, “Pay me in advance.”

Actually, forgetfulness isn't all bad...especially when we decide to 
forget all that pain from the past that threatens to ruin the present. 
Like one song says, “There ain't no future in the past.”

The past is to be remembered -- how else will we learn from it and keep 
from repeating it? But why would I want to remember every time I felt hurt 
because of my spouse, my children, my friends, my boss or anybody else? 
Why would I want to fill my mind with a detailed catalogue of past pain? 
Better to remember the times that brought me joy or love or feelings of 
warmth. Unfortunately, even those wonderful and magical moments too easily
fade away.

A friend of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, asked her 
about a particular traumatic event in her life. Miss Barton seemed perplexed.

“Can't you remember?” the friend prodded.

Clara Barton replied, “I distinctly remember forgetting it.”

Dwell on the past -- but not the negative past, not the pain of the past 
nor the sadness. Dwell on the good. Be consumed by past joys and obsessed 
with gratitude. Dwell upon the moments that uplifted you, the times you 
laughed and the memories of love shown to you by friends and family.

Not everything should be remembered, and those who live well know what to 
forget and what to cherish. Like the song says, “There ain't no future in 
the past.” But there is joy there. And love. And kindness...if we choose 
to remember.

By Steve Goodier


Read and meditate on these scriptures:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth 
us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are 
in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

Psalm 34:1-5 “I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall 
continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the 
humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and 
let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and 
delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto Him, and were lightened: 
and their faces were not ashamed.”

Psalm 37:3-6 “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the 
land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and 
He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the 
LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring 
forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”

Psalm 28:6-8 “Blessed be the LORD, because He hath heard the voice of my 
supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in 
Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my 
song will I praise Him. The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving 
strength of His anointed.”

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath 
begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.


Today’s Selected Poem: TEN RULES FOR A HAPPY DAY
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem133.htm

Today’s Selected Testimony: GOD IS FAITHFUL
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony118.htm


In Christ’s Service,

Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry

 
 

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