A fun fact about me is that I have kept a journal consistently for the past four years or so. From time to time, I go back and read old entries. That sounds nice, right? Remembering the past and your exact thoughts on it at the time. It's a cool concept. But every time I go back, I read my old thoughts and I cringe. Is that really what I used to think? The funny thing about revelation is that after your thinking shifts, you don't remember ever thinking differently!
I had to break myself of this thinking pattern in itself. It was torturous looking back because all I saw were my mistakes. What I could have done differently. How immature I was. I finally had to learn that those times were not without meaning.
God always had a plan. He has been teaching me and leading me all these years. He has revealed things to me and turned my mistakes into lessons learned and used them for my ultimate good. He has worked every deviance into His plan for my life.
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. (HCSB)
I finally realized that every stage of my life was a necessary precursor to the following ones. We have to start somewhere!
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.
The gift I had to recognize looking back was that I didn't stay there. I shouldn't be upset about my lack of knowledge at the time, I should rejoice that I am no longer in that same place! My Father in Heaven loved me too much to leave me in that mentality.
I am moving on not with shame for my mistakes, but with gratitude that I am in a better place now. I have not been stagnant! I have been growing. Now I can look back and laugh at my silly thoughts of the time, knowing that I now know better.
When we are truly seeking God, we are always growing. He is always revealing the next revelation to us and moving us forward into bigger things. We have to crawl before we can walk, and walk before we can run. But we will fly across the finish line when all is said and done!
Rejoice today being thankful for your growth!
I had to break myself of this thinking pattern in itself. It was torturous looking back because all I saw were my mistakes. What I could have done differently. How immature I was. I finally had to learn that those times were not without meaning.
God always had a plan. He has been teaching me and leading me all these years. He has revealed things to me and turned my mistakes into lessons learned and used them for my ultimate good. He has worked every deviance into His plan for my life.
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. (HCSB)
I finally realized that every stage of my life was a necessary precursor to the following ones. We have to start somewhere!
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.
The gift I had to recognize looking back was that I didn't stay there. I shouldn't be upset about my lack of knowledge at the time, I should rejoice that I am no longer in that same place! My Father in Heaven loved me too much to leave me in that mentality.
I am moving on not with shame for my mistakes, but with gratitude that I am in a better place now. I have not been stagnant! I have been growing. Now I can look back and laugh at my silly thoughts of the time, knowing that I now know better.
When we are truly seeking God, we are always growing. He is always revealing the next revelation to us and moving us forward into bigger things. We have to crawl before we can walk, and walk before we can run. But we will fly across the finish line when all is said and done!
Rejoice today being thankful for your growth!
Comments
Post a Comment