There’s a lot we can learn from the past. And it would be arrogant to dismiss the wisdom of the stories that came before. But it’s also foolish to constantly compare today to yesterday – allowing our past to rob us of our present. Living in today’s story is building on the past while staying grounded in the realities of today.
To be sure, comparisons have some benefits. For instance, it’s often helpful to consider the man we’re becoming today compared to who we were yesterday. This comparison is both affirming and motivating as it encourages us to keep pressing towards God’s best.
On the other hand, there are many false comparisons that are not helpful. For example, this might be comparing our current financial situation to the situation in our home growing up, our wife to a previous girlfriend, or perhaps even her sexual past to our own.
Whatever it looks like, while these comparisons might offer useful insights, they become unhelpful when we’re left simply complaining about the present, or in constant fear that it can never live up to the past. What is true, possible, and meaningful today is not even considered because it lives in the shadow of yesterday.
A better approach is to learn from the past while staying focused on today. Of course, we might have to grieve that our story today will be forever different because of events from the past. But the past cannot be changed, and it does no good to allow it then to steal, kill, or destroy the goodness and beauty still available. We grieve while engaging in the work of redemption – making the most of what God has given us each day.
In the end, learn from the past without letting it rob you of the present. Yesterday cannot be undone. But exercise your freedom and make the most of today.
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