It’s not about where we came from. It’s about where we are
going.
Maybe you come from a bad childhood. Your parents were
hostile, maybe abusive. You were possibly neglected.
For everyone that lets their past dictate their life, you can also
find those who overcame.
In an article on CNN.com, 7 tips for moving past a rotten childhood, Tracy McMillan wrote:
“There are two ways for me to look at my childhood story. In one, I'm a person who is so unloved and unwanted, my own mother gave me away.
In the other, I was born, took a look around at my prostitute mother and criminal father, and said to myself, "I can totally do better than this. Get your stuff, we're leaving." In one I'm a victim, in the other, I'm in power.
Guess which viewpoint got me the career I have today?”
Most of us have bad events in our past. Some like to pretend
that their past is the worst past imaginable. And for one person, that is
right. Their past is worse than everyone else's. For the rest of us, we can recognize that we are not alone.
Our bad events may not be from our childhood, but they’re still
there. We can’t ignore them. From time to time, the memories and emotions creep
their ugly cesspool-laden heads out and try to destroy us. The memories are
used in an attempt to get us to focus on the pain and mistakes of the past
rather than the plan and calling God has place on our lives.
But God has a plan for you, and he has a plan for me.
It’s not about where we came from. It’s about where we
are going.
The past is useful in that it instructs us if we allow it
to. It shows us how we arrived where we are at. If we allow ourselves to look at our past without prejudice, we will then discover the mistakes we made that have
distracted us from where we are supposed to be. Mistakes we should learn to not repeat. We will also see the great
things that freed us from sin, depression, and/or hopelessness. Great things we should turn into regular practices in our life. It is only through
what we have learned in the past and the Holy Spirit’s guidance that we know how to
live in the now.
So where are you headed? Are you headed backward? Or are you headed into the beautiful landscape God designed you for?
The heart of man plans his way, but
the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs
16:9 (ESV)