Moving Forward

Moving forward once again.  We don't have much of a choice in the matter.  It's this thing that happens in life.  We either keep moving forward, or our lives become stagnant, dwelling on what has happened before us, and not progressing past those things so that we can begin or continue to do good work.

"There were never any good old days, they are today, they are tomorrow, it's a stupid thing we say, cursing tomorrow with sorrow." - Ultimate by Gogol Bordello

While I often wouldn't uphold the ideology of Eugene Hutz, lead singer of Gogol Bordello,  I find this bit of truth that he offers to be very Biblical.  There are many valuable things to be learned from the past, but it is unhealthy behavior to idolize the the days before us in a way that prevents us from achieving new goals and helping ourselves or others.

How often do you hear about people reminiscing about the glory days of high school or college as if their life can never advance to a point of greater success than those few years in their life?

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland" - Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)


This scripture makes me think of one of those films that occur during the 1800s, where a group of British explorers are forging their way through the Amazon or the Congo with machetes.  And it seems like there is no end in sight (heck, they usually can't see more than 5 feet in front of them).  Eventually it seems like there's always one guy that decides "I've had enough, I'm going back!"

But if you know anything about those types of films, that one guy almost certainly dies.  Trying to reach back for that which is comfortable is ultimately what brings him to his end.

We all do this in one way or another.  Instead of taking the arduous path towards greater things, we often retreat to that which makes us comfortable at the expense of our life.

I get to see this principle lived out at a very basic level with my niece who was born less than 2 months ago.  Imagine if she were to stay comfortable with the way things are for the next ten years.  Not walking, not talking, and using diapers instead of potty training.  She is very comfortable right now, and she could stay alive like this for a long time, assuming my sister were allow her to do so.  But her life would become stale, and she would not be living to her fullest.

I pray that as I move into this new season of life that I do not fall into patterns that allow me to become comfortable where I'm at, and that I am always looking forward.  And that I can instill this mentality into those I interact with, and that I can be the hand of God by enabling those who haven't had the opportunity to move forward, do so.