“The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us.” – Oswald Chambers
I spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about future meals. The question of what I will be eating next can totally crowd out the meal I had previously eaten or even the one I am currently enjoying. This is perhaps a genetic flaw in my Frontal Cortex, or a leftover (pun intended) teen habit of eating my feelings. Either way, I can put entirely too much emphasis on what is coming next, and place it above what has already came.
The meal is always more delicious on the other side of the fence, right?
If we are not careful, we can live entirely in the future. Our minds so regularly plan, hope, and worry about the days to come, that we miss the days we have already been granted. And while this is part of the human condition and experience, perhaps we need to discipline ourselves to enjoy the present and even relish in the past.
In the Old Testament, they had a thing for building memorials. Every time God did something, they were instructed to build what was to be a physical example of a divine interaction. Anniversaries of such events were sometimes celebrated and its story recounted in expert detail. The thought was that God intervened in extraordinary ways in the past, and therefore will do so again in the future. Christ followers do the same on Christmas and Easter. Our link to the past is our gateway to a future of incredible possibilities, granted we keep from becoming so discouraged as to miss these opportunities.
When was the last time you told your story?
We all have a story within us. Stories of ridiculous odds stacked against and ridiculous miracles which overcame. Today, dwell on this. Let your imagination question what could have been and still could be. Let your past reignite your future.
Matt simon blog 