Total Crossover Mentality – Part III
Don’t Look Back…
Ecclesiastes 7:10 – “Do not say, "Why were the old days
better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.”
There is a saying most people use to refer to the past —
“The Good Ol’ Days.” Recently I
received an email which described the good ol’ days as I knew them. The email described such things as
“freeze-tag,” “Fat Albert,” and “Double-Dutch.” Yet, with all its nostalgia the email didn’t make me yearn for
the past; it made me hunger for the future.
We as humans are strange beings to say the least. Get This!!
While we were in the past we desired the future. We wanted to grow up and be the boss of
“me.” We wanted to go to “grown folks”
parties and be in “grown folks” business.
Then one day we finally got to “grown folks land” and reality smacked us
right in the face. That’s when we
decided — “Let’s go back.”
This “go back” mentality can transform one into a “Street
Corner Superhero.” Faster than a broken down Yugo. More powerful than a faded muscle shirt. Able to leap break dancers in parachute
pants. It’s an 8-track; it’s Alf ….
no….. It’s Street Corner
Superhero. We all know him. He was the “Al Bundy” that ran 4 touchdowns
in a single game, but really hasn’t done much since. He’s the guy who is still on the street corner, and he’s still
the urban legend he thought he was in ‘72.
Why? Because this person has
held on to the past glory so hard he can’t embrace future glories. But we can’t be too hard on the secular
world. There are some Christian Street
Corner Superheroes too. They hold on
to past victories like those victories are going to be the last, final or best
victories ever. However, the best is
yet to come.
Don’t misunderstand me.
Past victories are fine for testimonies but if we haven’t had something
to testify about since ‘72 there is a problem and it ain’t with God. Somewhere we were looking back with more effort
than looking forward. Somewhere we got
complacent with past victories, but complacency will not produce future
victories, only memories of past ones.
Our text states the following:
“Do not say, "Why were the old
days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.
By proclaiming better days of the past, we attempt to
condemn our future which is absolutely contrary to the word of God.
Jeremiah 29:11 – “‘For I know the
plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
If better days are only behind us then why would God plan a
future for us? The best days are yet
to come. But there is something that
can keep us from getting to them ….. Looking back more than looking
forward.
Here’s what the Lord is giving me to share:
For some of you things have not
worked out the way you thought they would.
You’ve been disappointed and you feel that you were deceived by
God. Stay faithful and true to the Most
High God. It shall come to pass. Don’t look back and say, “what if I did
this” or “what if I had done that?”
Keep your faith. You are on the
right course. I know your destiny and
have planned your destiny with intricate detailing. There are things you had to go through to perfect you, but when
you come out you will be closer to where I want you. I love you so much that I had to take you through a change
because your change needed to come.
Know that what has been done has been done so that I will be glorified
and so that you will see the best days of your life ahead.
A quote from Satchel Page goes like this: “Don’t look back;
something may be gaining on you.” I
don’t know what Mr. Page thinks it is but I believe it’s the enemy trying to
use our past against us. He’s trying to
use our past successes to make us believe that they are our pinnacles. He’s trying to use our past failures and
embarrassments to keep us from stepping out in faith on God’s word. But we might as well cut the enemy off at
the “pass,” get us another victory, and move forward in the things of God.