Greetings world changer.
I hope and trust you had a wonderful New Year’s and that God would prosper you in every way in this coming year. That your finances would be in order despite whatever happens in the global economy–that you would be a testimony of God’s protection and provision in front of those in the midst of uncertainty and fear.
I also pray that this year would be one of realizing many dreams that you may have been holding on to for a long time and never have had the courage to go forward in.
I wrote in my ‘year in review’ post how this past year was one of many great things and that I was really happy with accomplishments and blessings. For one of the first years in a long time, I can look back at progress and not feel relieved that the year was over so I could attempt to do better with the next one.
Last night, my fiancee Lili and I spent time at the mall in an attempt to go to Coney Park, a fun mini theme park type of place, except they were closed early because it was New Year’s. As a result, we went back to my place and prayed together, and then video chatted with my parents. Something she and I talked about last night was about seeing the Lord do in our lives since we’ve met, but specifically in the course our relationship, and this has been stuck in my mind since last night.
In many areas of my life, I look back on things I was wasting my time on over the years. I ponder what could have been if I took more initiative in certain ways or didn’t procrastinate in other things. I look back and wonder what held me back from ‘going for it’ in this decision or that circumstance.
I almost never have an excuse.
Lili reminded me of how God resolved something in my life of a personal nature while we were visiting my family in Canada a few months ago, and I was dwelling on this particular thing last night and this morning. I kept asking God “why didn’t I pursue resolving this sooner? What took me so long?”
I felt like He spoke back to me that the things I think have been time wasted are not wasted.
I want to encourage you if you’re reading this and my words are resonating with you, that you would know that what the locusts have eaten God wants to restore multiple-fold to the point where it won’t even look like there had ever been some kind of lack.
Oftentimes when we get a new revelation or have the scales pulled from our eyes in different manners of deception, it’s easy to look back to prior to the level of insight we walk in now, and think that time was time wasted. It’s easy to feel like if we started the race late, then whatever we were doing before was a waste and we have little to offer now.
Friend, let go of the past.
Move forward and don’t let your past determine your present and certainly not your future. The Holy Spirit gently leads and invites you to follow after Him into much greener pastures. It’s the enemy who likes to get us to be overly introspective and dwell on the past which can’t be mended or changed.
If you’re feeling winded or discouraged as you look back at your past or someone in your life reminds you of where you came from, so as to say such facts somehow affect where you are capable of going–ignore them. Stop living in paths that you could have carved out for yourself up to this point, and take a deep breath, receive God’s thoughts of you and your destiny, and now carve the new path you’re going to walk forward from on this day forward.
Your past is not wasted.
Just like Joseph’s years in slavery and in prison turned out to be the preparation for greater things in his destiny, there’s nowhere to go but further into your destiny. God can and will use the things of your past you feel hold you back, and use them like a catapult to help propel you further into His redemptive purposes and plans.
Be encouraged. The past is done and gone, so stop living in regret.
