Past, Present, or Future

If you are anything like myself, I am sure you have done something in your past that you regret. Maybe you made a mistake, bought something you shouldn’t, said something unkind, or something like that. You’ve probably had success in your past as well. Maybe you won a competition, graduated from something, received a passing grade on an assignment, or something of that nature. Many in the world want to live in the past. They dwell on past mistakes or they live in the glory of past success. Their life is consumed with what has already happened.past

Others in the world make decisions and choices that are solely focused on today. What is going to make me happy today is what I am going to choose to do today. We live in a world full of instant gratification. Everyone wants success and happiness today. The sole focus of many is today and today only.

But as Christians we need to be focused not on past mistakes or successes. We do not need to be living for success and happiness today. Christians are called to look to the future and the reward of Heaven. The decisions that we make each and everyday have an affect on our destination for eternity.

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

How do we go about “straining forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God?”

Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

We need to focus our time, energy, money, and resources on things not of this earth, but on things that will help us reach Heaven. Don’t live in the past. Don’t live for today. Live for Heaven one day.