Devotional for Monday, November 19, 2018
“I Won’t Look Back!”
by Dona Hake
“The past is not really the past if it is impacting your present.”
Once while driving I was listening to Christian radio,and I heard these powerful words spoken by a gentleman giving his testimony. He made emphasis on the power of keeping his eyes and heart set on what the Lord had set before him. He really understood and shared how our past can affect our present if we do not deal with it as the Lord would have us to do.
I thought what he said was a powerful thought to ponder. Of course we understand that what happened twenty years ago or even yesterday is behind us . What we need to understand though is if we dwell on any negatives of our past and allow them to hinder us it will influence and affect our life in a very negative way. Memories can serve to torment us IF we allow them to do so.
Paul wrote in the Corinthians and he exclaimed that those in Christ are more than conquerors but in Philippians he brought to us that in the “race” in this life we need to stay focused, strong, and purposed to continue in momentum, and he still did not consider himself a winner.
Philippians 3:13 God’s Word Translation
“Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet.
This is what I do:
I don’t look back,
I lengthen my stride,
and I run straight toward the goal
to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.
Whoever has a mature faith should think this way. And if you think differently, God will show you how to think. However, we should be guided by what we have learned so far.”
Paul was proclaiming that until he crosses the finish line he needed to run with the good mental and spiritual habits of a conqueror. The heart of a conqueror does not look back. He spoke of lengthening his stride or running a steady pace or course. We must continually keep in front of us all of our goals both spiritual and personal and run toward them with all of our hearts and strength that comes only from God!
