Watch Where You Are Going!

In today's world of fast paced, gotta know everything, and gotta get info right now world, it's easy to occasionally not see where you are going. I think everyone can relate to the fact that when your cell phone rings, you stop WHATEVER you are doing and see who it is that is calling you. Because we all know, that knowing whoever is calling is more important than watching the road!

Remember when things were simpler? When we were focused on one thing at a time?

I remember that as a kid, I had the same problem as I mentioned above. Since some of you know how old I am you are probably wondering what I'm talking about. There were no cell phones when I was a kid. What I am talking about is much simpler...walking.

You see, that gene that makes me look every time my phone buzzes has been with me my whole life. But in younger days, it was revealed in the simple act of walking. Here it is. Have you ever been walking forward when something happens behind you that makes you turn your head but you keep moving forward? BOOM. Every time, there seemed to be a wall that popped up that I always seemed to walk into.

One time, as a kid, I was playing football in our neighbors yard with friends from the neighborhood. I went long to catch a pass to run it into the end zone (driveway) for a touch down then do my little "I caught the ball and ran faster than you then scored" dance. At least that was my plan as I was running. I turned my head to catch the ball, then woke up laying on my back with all my friends asking me if I was OK. It seems that someone forgot to put the padding around the stone lampposts at the end of the driveway that introduced themselves to my head while I was at full gallop!

I seemed to do this a lot. Not running so much but turn around to look back while I'm moving forward and run into something. I am proud to say that my lovely bride shares that same trait and together we have installed a double portion into our son. (He has it pretty bad)

It has occurred to me here lately that we view life in the same regard. We get up in the morning and start our day. From the time we awake, we are moving forward to get things our routines done. We are moving forward.

When we get to our daily occupations, whether you clock in somewhere, or you are that underpaid mom, you are moving forward to get things accomplished. Working towards that promotion, teaching your children to say please and thank you, what ever you do, you move forward.

Recently, I discovered a truth that has laid deep within me for years, but I have ignored for a great deal of time. While I am trying to achieve my goals that I believe that God wants me to accomplish, I seemed to keep coming to a screeching halt. I never knew why I would get so off track. But here is why.

I kept looking behind me. I kept bringing up things that happened in the past and would get stuck there and that's always when I would run into that wall, by not focusing on where I was going, but worrying about where I have been.

As we go through life, we are constantly learning new things. As we move forward towards what God has created us for, we are going to have many, many, many (and for some of us, many more) trials in life. The trial is not what God wants you to focus on. It's the lesson that he wants you to learn from it. I kept getting caught up in the trial. I kept getting caught up in the "that person did that to me" part. I kept getting caught up in the "she said that about him" part. I kept getting caught up in the "I can't believe they could do such a thing" part.

It's not the parts. It's God tempering my heart to be more like his. It's the lessons that have been chosen for me to learn. I am learning not to look behind me by realizing that God is not done with me. I guess it just comes down to a matter of perspective. I will gladly remember everything that happened yesterday, but I am not going to live there. I will use the lessons that I have learned to carve a better future. I hopefully will not make some of the same mistakes...but I may. That's OK though. I will not be stopped by that wall because I am focused on what has happened, I will reflect, then keep moving forward.

I my recent revelation, I have also discovered another truth. If I am not the same me that I used to be, how can I expect that that one person from my past is the same person they used to be? God is not just working on me, he is working on them, and you, and that person that wronged you in the past. That family member you still have that grudge about that thing that they did, whatever it was, whenever it was.

Don't hit your head on the wall. Treat every day as a new one. Be thankful for all those in your life. God placed them there for a reason.

One last thing. God has forgiven you...your turn.