When there is silence in our house, which is rare, I oftentimes will look at the pictures on our wall. The family pictures, the obligatory newborn pictures of our boys and a handful of cute and funny candid shots we have managed to take over the years. I am proud of all of them and that we were so fortunate to capture so many of these moments in our lives.
However, what do those framed pictures and snapshots mean in the kingdom of God, beyond this world? I think they obviously help remind us to be happy. Pictures remind us what loving someone looks like, and the love of Christ and His message shine through in all of them. On the other hand, I remember at times that I am a very past-orientated person, and my thoughts and pictures of my past can sometimes compete with the experiences and opportunities that are in my present. I know I am not alone when I sometimes think, “wouldn’t it be nice to go back to this way, or that experience, or that age?” These moments rob us of what is going on in front of us daily and how to live in the present, for they are much different from “that way, or that experience, or that age”.
The present requires different tools and ways of thinking than our past did. Our growth is stunted when we are always thinking about the past and how we could have changed something in our lives. God does not want us to live this way because these moments helped make us who we are and God loves us.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Friends, I am going to keep taking pictures of my family and my children, that will never change. But, what I can do and what I challenge you to do is to remember that God wants you to be here and now for these very moments you’re living in because he has plans for you. What’s past is past, good or bad, and we can hold on to it with a healthy perspective. However, we must be in the present, using our gifts for our own spiritual growth and the growth of others.
Think about that the next time you look at the pictures on your mantle or your Facebook page, and remember what’s ahead of us.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, remind us that our past has helped mold us, but it cannot hold us. To grow in You, we must be present with You, and for others that need help focusing on what’s in front of us. We love You. Amen
Written By: Matt Morrison