Does our Past Design our Future—R Fritz
Our past is just that, our past. Although it may have started as who we were for a time, it does not need to be the future. Our present is where we are, but some people either never leave the past or are caught in the past in fear. The present sometimes is scary to some, and they find the past a safe place to be. In my case, the past affected my future for years, starting when people showed up in my life. There comes a time when my life was not where I wanted to be; it was where every day seemed to be the same without change, where something different was unknown. When we do not know or where to look, we keep doing the same things, what we know. Opportunity happens when we choose to take chances, get out of our comfort zone. That is where Jesus starts to get involved in our lives, as we do not know that because we think it is us. It is God who is giving us the ideas and thoughts to change our lives. This is the past and the present, and we can forget as it is our history.
The present is where we start to get confidence because we are making the right decisions. What we need to remember is that our turnaround is because God is part of our life, and the Holy Spirit has also become our life. Somehow, we think we are smart when we are getting our information from God. We are saved because of the power of God. 1Corinthians 1:18-20,25,27 says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of the world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” We are to depend on God because he knows what is best for us, yet we think we know as God knows our future. Our wisdom is foolishness compared to God’s. When the Holy Spirit tells us what we should do or say, we have a choice called freewill. When we are surrendered, what we should say just comes out of our mouths, and our actions happen with little thought. I might not want to do something, but the power of the Holy Spirit persuades me what the right thing to do is.
I went to a class reunion a few days ago, the talk was about the past, where we were, and some of the times we had together. We had conversations about other class members, with some conversations on some who died. My thoughts were on people whose lives were not so good. Some have had bad marriages, a few never grew up, and are still living out their high school lives. Some knew I was a chaplain; some did not ask what I did. It is who I am that bothers me about these few people. One person was talking to me about their life and told me I was different than other people. The Holy Spirit will make a way for me to do what I need to do. I was invited to stop over and see one of these people who needs help. The things I learned were that this could be the last time I see or talk to these people because most people will go back to their same life. Yes, our life was easier years ago, but we cannot go back in any way. We reminisce, but the future is where I am and where we need to go. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” God has us covered, and we should stay close to him as we go through our lives. Our future is with the Holy Spirit, who has only the best for us.
Our future and plan for our life is known by God; it is up to us to find out what that is. We have that opportunity to become who we were meant to be. That comes with the ability to have a great life, a life blessed by God doing his will. That does not mean we will have an easy life; Satan will make sure that an easy life will not happen. Satan lives on lies because he is the father of lies, uses fear, and pride is what took Satan down. Love, truth, faith, and when we submit to Go,d are how we defeat Satan’s attacks. Our future is bright if you surrender to God. James 4:7-8,10 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” These verses tell us if we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee. We should remember that when we are attacked, God has given us ways to get rid of Satan.
Our past was where we started; it may have put us down a road that was not good. When we chose Jesus, we had an opportunity to change the road we are on. When we change to go down that narrow road that leads to life, the life with Jesus and eternal life, as we have found our jackpot, where we will be blessed, or we can always go back to our past. You make the choice as I choose Jesus every day. God Bless.
