It's as Simple as Riding a Bike

I don’t know why God always talks to me when I can’t write stuff down. He’s notorious for giving me some insight specifically while I’m driving or in the shower. So I’m left repeating the main point in my head until I can towel dry and grab my phone, or taking my life in my hands to text myself the main point while driving so I don’t lose it. In all truth, I know He’s talking to me all the time. Those moments are just times when I’m not SOOOOO preoccupied that I actually am able to hear it. Following suit, while driving this morning, God hit me with this. “You have a bad habit of acting like Lot’s wife in the OT.” Whoa! Thank goodness God is no longer in the business of turning people into pillars of salt because I would most certainly be a cow lick at this point. As funny as that picture is, God reminded me of how serious that seemingly little thing actually is. It’s been detrimental to my growth. I often look back to what was in comparison to now; long for something I no longer have; or think about the past as if it’s an option I can choose to go back to one day…yet knowing full well I can never go back. That time has passed. Time does not go backwards. There’s only one way time goes…forward. 

I picture this like riding a bike with a friend trailing behind that you are constantly looking back to check on. Having that friend is good. Going for the bike ride is good. But looking back when you should have your eyes up ahead is not good (Proverbs 4:25). The problem is if you are going forward while looking behind you, your path is wavy and crooked, and if you don’t turn your gaze to where you are headed, you will eventually crash. God says today is a new day and that the old has passed away (Isaiah 42:9).  How can anything be new if we are concentrating on what is old? If we are holding onto the old, how can God give us what is new? If our eyes are behind us, how can we even see what He has up ahead? I conclude that keeping my eyes fixed on what is ahead will breed contentment (Philippians 3:12-14).