I live in a place where it gets very hot in the summer. So hot that one time the glue that held my rearview mirror on melted and the mirror fell off! Not while driving, thankfully! I had to get it fixed right away or I wouldn't be able to back up, change lanes, etc. while driving. It wouldn't be very safe. I needed to be able to see what was behind me.
I've come to realize that I've spent an awful lot of my life "looking in my rearview mirror" and I'm not talking about the one in my car. I'm talking about the one for my memories. Sometimes I've focused so much on what has happened in the past that I miss what is happening right now. It's so easy to do. If someone said something or did something to hurt me, it was hard to get it out of mind. Even after forgiving them, I would find myself thinking about it again and again. Sometimes there would be a stressful time in my life and I would think about it so much that it kept me from seeing the possibility of good things in my future.
I finally came to the place, a few years ago, where I realized that I was spending way too much time looking back and not enough time looking at now or looking toward the future. I saw that I was focusing on "where I'd been" instead of "where I could go." That was a life-changing realization for me. By changing my view, I could change my outlook. I needed to remember that God has good plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11). If I'm always looking back, I'll never have hope for the future.
Sometimes, we need to say "good-bye" to things in our past that keep us from our future. If we want to move forward, we can't keep looking behind. We would never be able to drive safely forward if we were only looking in our rearview mirrors, would we? It's ok to remember things from the past, it is part of our story, we just need to remember not to let it get in the way for our future.
I leave you with a song sung by Jo Dee Messina called, "Bye Bye." The song talks about waiting too long on someone to make up their minds about a relationship and the person says "bye bye" and moves on. I think you'll appreciate the rearview mirror reference. When listening to the song, think about the things in your life you need to say "Bye Bye" to so you can move forward to the good things God has planned for you!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
Light
Did you ever go into a room and flip a light switch and nothing happens? Or did the electricity go out and none of the lights work? It can be an unsettling feeling to be completely in the dark. Your surroundings become unfamiliar in the dark. For some people, "dark" can be a scary place. We all need light in our lives. Whether it's to light a room, a yard, a business, or a road, it's really difficult to find our way in the dark.
Did you know that we are called to be "light?" In Matthew 5:14-16 we are called the "light of the world." We are instructed not to "hide" the light but to let it shine so that others can see the goodness of God. We are a lot like lighthouses. A lighthouse's main purpose is to shine brightly to help ships and boats see the safest path away from dangerous waters to a safe harbor. Without the light, the ships might crash onto the rocks. If we are "shining" the light of God's love to others, it will help them find the path through their "difficult waters."
It is hard to shine, though, if your light is dim. Our lights can become dim for many reasons. Sometimes it's because we've been away from His light for too long. Remember, our light is a reflection of His love. If we're too far from the light, we won't be able to shine very brightly.
Sometimes our light can become dim from the weariness of the hard things we've had to go through in our own lives. Our light is covered by the clouds of life. We need to have the clouds lifted and cleared away. We may need to seek Him in the morning, at nighttime, and every time we need to feel the light of His love.
Just a word about what our "light" is not. We are not called to be a light to shine on others faults or point out what they are doing wrong. No one wants to stay near that kind of a light. If you shine that kind of light, you may be causing someone to veer away towards dangerous waters.
We have been given an amazing gift...God's love, through His son. God sending His son, Jesus, to become one of us, was all about love. Shine His love, be a lighthouse!
Did you know that we are called to be "light?" In Matthew 5:14-16 we are called the "light of the world." We are instructed not to "hide" the light but to let it shine so that others can see the goodness of God. We are a lot like lighthouses. A lighthouse's main purpose is to shine brightly to help ships and boats see the safest path away from dangerous waters to a safe harbor. Without the light, the ships might crash onto the rocks. If we are "shining" the light of God's love to others, it will help them find the path through their "difficult waters."
It is hard to shine, though, if your light is dim. Our lights can become dim for many reasons. Sometimes it's because we've been away from His light for too long. Remember, our light is a reflection of His love. If we're too far from the light, we won't be able to shine very brightly.
Sometimes our light can become dim from the weariness of the hard things we've had to go through in our own lives. Our light is covered by the clouds of life. We need to have the clouds lifted and cleared away. We may need to seek Him in the morning, at nighttime, and every time we need to feel the light of His love.
Just a word about what our "light" is not. We are not called to be a light to shine on others faults or point out what they are doing wrong. No one wants to stay near that kind of a light. If you shine that kind of light, you may be causing someone to veer away towards dangerous waters.
We have been given an amazing gift...God's love, through His son. God sending His son, Jesus, to become one of us, was all about love. Shine His love, be a lighthouse!
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