Our guest blogger today is my good friend and sister in Christ, Marilyn Mansfield, communications specialist extraordinaire. Marilyn is particularly gifted in matters of life, heart, and relationships. She has a marvelous sense of humor and is a delight to me and others. Find out more about her and incredible work at https://marilynmoonmansfield.com/
I miss the “good ole days.” It’s strange to think of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s as “old” though. They seem more like last year! I often find myself trapped in that time period way too often, longing for “the way we were.” (If you’re my age, you will remember what that means.) Of course I can’t remember the “not good” days of the “good ole days.” I guess that is God’s way of helping me live with my past, especially if it was difficult or disappointing. So, it’s a good thing to remember good things!
However, I often get “stuck in the memories and start longing for the same feelings, emotions, and satisfactions I had during my younger days when my parents were still living, when family get-togethers were filled with cousins playing, laughter, food, and just a generally happy time! But deep down I know that longing for what used to be is of no benefit. All it does is paralyze my present and steal my future.
So, why do I get stuck in this cycle? Well, mainly because I’m human and humans forget. If I allow this to continue, then it can become a habit, and before I realize it, I have planted a seed of sorrow and regret of what might have been that takes root. When this happens, I work even harder yanking up this weed of “longing for the past” before it resurfaces and overtakes the good “growth” of what is happening in my life at present.
To be honest, I think the main reason I tend to camp out in the “past” is because Satan is the master of creating discontentment. If he can get me stuck in the past (and he wants to, believe me), he has no fear of any influence that Jesus has on me in the future! That is his master plan, but his plans are not God’s plans.
So how do I win this battle of “getting past the past” of the “good ole days”? God tells us to renew our minds through the supernatural power of Christ, which I can only receive through his written word. In Luke 9:62 Jesus says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” This is strong stuff from Jesus himself. Essentially, Jesus is saying if I can’t get my head, heart, and emotions past my past, then I am of no use in His kingdom building in the present and future. Being unfit for God’s work is not acceptable to me!
Whether you are just longing for the “way things were,” or you are lingering in the past because of sin, shame, or guilt, recognize it, confess it, and be reminded to press on, for in His hands, we are influencers for Christ. Hide God’s word in our hearts, believe it and trust in a Savior who keeps His promises.
Philippans 3: 13-14, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
