The goats have memories. The remember me. They remember their ranking in the herd. They remember meal time and friendly visitors. They remember and learn from their past mistakes. They remember that bees stings, duck water tastes terrible, toads are harmless and the dog does not like to be jumped on. They alter their behavior based on their experiences. They use their past experiences to make better decisions in their present. They don’t wallow in their poor choices or bad behaviors; they apply the learning and keep moving forward.
I’ve made more mistakes in my life than I like to admit. There was a time when I allowed shame and guilt over those mistakes to dictate my direction and even my identity. I’ve learned through the decades however, that giving those negative emotions the throne in my life, not only steals MY joy – it steals God’s joy. Our Lord grieves when His creation is silenced and paralyzed. This is how the enemy wins his battles. He can’t win our soul, but he can undermine our potential and sabotage our ministries by destroying our confidence and rendering us ineffective for Christ.
What God is showing me today, is how He has been with me, directing my steps all along, to bring me to this stage of readiness, for this present call. I can look back on so many life experiences over 5 decades – even from my childhood and even some horrendous missteps along the way, that slowly but surely equipped me for meaningful, effective service in His name today. Thank you Lord that you never leave us or abandon us (Heb 13:5) as we stumble through this life, growing stronger, deeper, bolder with every step we take toward you – with our eyes ever on the prize!
“Looking back” can INHIBIT you and squash your dreams – OR or it can INSPIRE you as you rocket forward with courage and resolve. Be brave dear friend (Joshua 1:9). God is equipping you to do something wonderful for him. It’s all for His glory, always – always and forever.
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasure of living with you forever.” Psalm 16:11 (NLT)
