I love long drives. Call me odd, but there’s something about getting in a car for a few hours at a time that just gets me excited. I like the alone-time provided. I like the solace, the peace and quiet, the space where I can just simply be myself. I don’t have to talk, I don’t have to think about anything major or (usually, anyway) make any major life decisions. It’s a time for me to be alone with myself and Jesus and my music, to listen to Him speak, and to simply be in His presence.
I was “home” in Michigan for a few weeks to celebrate Christmas and my sister’s wedding, and just drove back down to Georgia this past weekend. After a couple hours on the road, God started speaking to me about not looking back, about not dwelling on the “what if” or the “what might have been” but looking ahead to see how He is moving in the present and how He will continue to move in the future.
See, He put our eyes on the front of our bodies for a reason. Think of how crazy and different life would be if our eyes were on the backs of our heads, if we walked around all day seeing only where we’d been and not where we’re going. Think about how hard it is to look behind yourself – now imagine if you could only see behind you and instead had to exert all that energy to look ahead. If all we ever had was a view of the past, what would life be like? I think car manufacturers were thinking about this when they designed cars as well. There is a reason that the windshield is clear glass and covers most of our frontal view when we’re driving. It would be rather difficult to drive if the windshield and the rearview mirror were switched, if most of our view was of where we had been and only a tiny portion was dedicated to seeing where we are going.
[reflection – the present is clearer than the past]
Often at the end of a year, we look back on the past and remember where we have come from. But we don’t stop there – we use what we have learned in the past to compel us forward. We don’t dwell on the past even though it may be helpful. We move on. So as this new year begins, I challenge you to reflect on the past, remember what God did last year, remember where He took you from and where He has placed you now. But don’t focus on those things. Don’t sit in the past because it was a “good time” or because you felt safe or secure. Step out in faith, focusing on the future, and allowing God to prod you forward into the unknown.
[reflection – that which is ahead is greater than that we're leaving behind]
