Never Ending Praise The Lord

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!“

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about spoiling the plans God has for us and how dangerous that is to our present lives. It recently dawned on me that when we look back longing for our past, it’s just as dangerous.

When I moved here to Texas, I wanted to be everywhere else. I thought maybe I would go back to Indiana, God said no. I thought maybe I would return to Florida but again, God said no. He shut the door on me three times when I tried to make plans to move. It was frustrating! I wanted the beach, the guy I thought I loved or the life I lived in Indiana.

All three times, I learned a couple things about God and myself.

First, God is great about answering prayers and later reminding you of what he did. For example, in Indiana, I had a whole tantrum wanting to get out of the circumstances I was in. I had zero patience and I was at the very end of my rope after a difficult period of life. While my actions and my very childish fit were…disappointing to say the least, God did remove me from my circumstances and after a short period, he removed me from Indiana altogether. It was difficult because I had great friends, mentors and amazing church, but he had plans. Those plans included a couple of difficult years back in Florida. Yes, I said years.

That’s the second thing I learned about God. His timing is so different than ours- that’s what makes it so hard not to want to know the ending! However, that short time in Florida- that seemed long at the time- was necessary for where I am today.

I came to Texas believing it was a short-term solution. I tried finding housing and employment in Indiana first and God really said, “I brought you out of that place and you’re not going back.”

Oh. Okay, Lord.

Then I thought I would either return to the New Smyrna beach area, and once again- God shut it down. He reminded me that while it was a beautiful place, there was nothing good for me there.

Then I went to visit that formerly mentioned gentleman, and I came back thinking ok, I’m going to get a job where he is and go be with him. I even had a job interview. In fact, I had several. I even had companies working to help me figure out the soonest I could be there. Except….

God said no… again. I didn’t get the jobs. I didn’t have the answers and not long after that, I realized that guy wasn’t for me.

I had to face the very real fact that God had something for me right where I am.

I want to remind you that once upon a time in a far away land…. Lot’s unnamed wife looked back at her former life too… after being warned not to! She looked back at Sodom, and she turned into a pillar of salt! [You can read about this entire account in Genesis 19]

Maybe you’re asking why God judged Lot’s wife so harshly for simply back.

God has been very gracious about answering this for me because the same is true for us today. When we look back on our past lives, it tells God that our hearts are not in the right place. As people belonging to God, we don’t want to long for a corrupt and passing world. We want to be longing for what he is preparing for us in the future. That doesn’t mean we have to rush to find out. It actually means we should be living our present lives, focused on sharing the love of God knowing that our future is planned- perfectly and purposefully.

Luke 17:32 even warns us to Remember Lot’s wife! A clear warning not to do the same thing. And Philippians 3:13-14 encourages us to forget what is behind and press on toward the goal.

I’m careful about the more secular quotes I hear and use because I want to honor God in every way. I do think this quote however, is something to keep in mind.

When you are depressed, you are living in the past.

When you are anxious, you are living in the future.

When you are at peace, you’re living in the present.

I want to add that our present should be filled with peace from God, reading his Word and spending time getting to know him while we wait for our promised eternal future. You are perfectly and purposefully placed right where you’re at.