Monday, January 03, 2011

Facing Our Struggles: Looking Forward


We all probably spent time reflecting on the coming new year the last couple of weeks.  Many of us resolving to improve ourselves or the lives of others.  Maybe some of us wrote them down, and others told friends and family.  Maybe there are those who want to improve, but don`t know where to start.  Some of us might be aiming high for this year and others might be satisfied with an easier target.

We have focus and determination and are ready to go the distance, live our dreams, and be all that we can be....right?

Or are we piling up more expectations? more presssures? more anxiety, frustrations, disappointments for ourselves?

Fresh start is a "relative" term.  We have "fresh starts" everyday, but we still live with the habits of behaviour of our past.  We still live with the emotional baggage, and scars of former relationships and broken dreams. We like to think that it is a "new" day, but in reality it just another day in the "days of our lives."

But that is okay...It is okay to look at life as a "cycle of newness."  However, I offer a simple approach to re-inventing oneself with many plans and new resolutions that only focus on limited, short term adaptation.

just LOOK FORWARD

Our past makes us who we are, for good and for worse.  While the past is filled with good and bad, it often distracts us, drawing our attention from the road beneath our feet.  Instead of limiting ourselves to just this year`s resolutions.  Let`s look at our life direction! 

Where are we going? what is our ultimate goal, our destination? 

If we are looking forward, the things in our past won`t distract us and the problems surrounding us will not seem so important.  We are all on a journey, our own personal journey.  I am reminded of these words.

Philippians 3:13
"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,..."

We can obsess over the little things in our lives, and lose sight of our direction so easily.  Instead of pursuing life with enthusiasm we settle for aesthetic improvements.

It is simple in words, but hard to do without a clear life direction.  But instead of regulating and trying to control the sometimes uncontrollable circumstances of our lives, maybe we should just

LOOK FORWARD

And run the race of life with enthusiasm, knowing there can be purpose and meaning through a real life, real time relationship with our Creator, Lord, and Saviour.  Jesus Christ!

5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Phil 3:13 has changed my life. Looking backwards is a stumbling block.. Heck it could even be an idol!


    Luk 9:62 But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.


    God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  3. That was great insight! I know that we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! He is the Author and perfecter of our faith!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Totally agree with you, my friend.
    Chin up and keep striving ahead.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great follow up verse Conrad!

    Thanks for the comments Shauna and C.A.T.

    New Years` blessings! &
    Keep on blogging everybody!

    ReplyDelete

blog ping