Devotional for Thursday, April 21, 2016
“Don’t Look Back!”
by Dona Hake
I can remember hearing a young man’s testimony as he shared of getting victory in his life. He was making emphasis on the power of keeping his heart and eyes set on what was before him. He also was declaring the importance of understanding how our past can affect us if we do not deal with it properly. He spoke these words and I spoke the words over and over in my mind till I could jot them down on paper…”The past is not really the past if it is impacting your present.”
I thought this was a powerful thought to ponder. Of course we understand that what happened twenty years ago or even yesterday is over and done with. What we need to understand though is if we dwell on any negatives in the past and allow it to hinder us it will influence and affect our life in a very negative way in the present. Memories can serve to torment us IF we allow them to do so. Pondering in living in the past can freeze you in the present and prevent you from moving forward.
Paul wrote in the Corinthians and he exclaimed that those in Christ are more than conquerors but in Philippians he brought to us that in the “race” in this life we need to stay focused, strong, and purposed to continue in momentum, and he still did not consider himself a winner.
Philippians 3:13 God’s Word Translation
“Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet.
This is what I do:
I don’t look back,
I lengthen my stride,
and I run straight toward the goal
to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.
Whoever has a mature faith should think this way. And if you think differently, God will show you how to think. However, we should be guided by what we have learned so far.”
Paul was proclaiming that until he crosses the finish line he needed to run with the good mental and spiritual habits of a conqueror. The heart of a conqueror does not look back. He spoke of lengthening his stride or running a steady pace or course. We must continually keep in front of us all of our goals both spiritual and personal and run toward them with all of our hearts and strength that comes only from God. Let us run toward the goal with courage and God’s strength in our hearts for we are more than conquerors!