Do you ever hope for events or circumstances to return to a status quo of the past?
Perhaps you’re bored, stuck in a rut, and crave for the days you were busy raising a family or actively employed. Maybe you’re unemployed and think, “If I only had my old job back.” Or you feel discouraged about the political scene and lament, “If only people treated each other like in the ‘old days.’” Or there’s a family conflict and you yearn to turn the clock back to before the discord erupted. Or you’re struggling with a health problem and long for a younger, healthier body known in yesteryears.
There’s some good news and some bad news!
First, the bad news, (sort of, but not really): you won’t be turning the clock back. Yesterday is gone. It will not be repeated. Today is the moment you’re living in.
And the good news, when guided by spiritual desire to know God better: tomorrow is always better than yesterday. It is filled with newness, fresh opportunity, greater possibility, brighter horizons, more desirable goals, healthier outlooks, and happier outcomes.
“Behold, I make all things new,” the Bible states (Rev 21:5).
Think about this.
God makes all things new! Wow. What an inspiration to prop up expectations.
God doesn’t repeat. God doesn’t do the same thing twice. God doesn’t stay in a holding pattern of predictable routine that bores thought and idles initiative. God gets it right the first time, and moves on to unfolding the next glorious wonder of infinite, boundless Life.
We should not expect God to move us back into an old familiar human routine or material circumstance. God doesn’t work that way. Truth moves us forward to something new and better.
The blessings of the human experience are not the old job we used to have, an idealistic family arrangement, or a young physical body. The blessings are the moral and spiritual lessons we learn as Truth urges its agenda to let go of worldly ideals and head to heavenly consciousness.
Pining, moaning and complaining in a desire to return to some past earthly scenario is a waste of time and energy. It isn’t going to happen. God makes all things new.
To get you to a better place, divine Love is providing the perfect opportunity now for you to learn the moral or spiritual lesson you didn’t fully get in the past. But the “look” of the situation is going to be different. It probably won’t be the same actors, the same places or circumstances that had been familiar. It’s not going to be like it was yesterday. It’s going to be something new, perhaps involving new people, new possibilities, and new options. The past is gone. That’s what the past is, gone, by definition. God is the present, and it is filled with good!
So, don’t mentally hang around in the “old” any longer. Let it go. It’s holding you back. Reach out to the newness of God’s good, and let God unfold something totally new, fresh and exciting for your present spiritual growth and edification.
Evan dear:
This is a beautiful message for this Friday, thank you.
I was reminded of a verse from a cherished hymn 218:
“O Life that maketh all things new,
The blooming earth, the thoughts of men; Our pilgrim feet, wet with Thy dew, In gladness hither turn again.”
“The freer step, the fuller breath,
The wide horizon’s grander view;
The sense of Life that knows no death, — The Life that maketh all things new.”
And then from hymn #339:
“And O, may we, God’s children true, His healing love make known,
And see by faith all things made new When ruled by Love alone.”
Thank you for reminding me and us to be ‘ruled by Love alone.’
Happy weekend.
Thank you for this message. It is exactly what I’ve been needing to hear. I’ve felt helpless to dig myself out of a pit of longing for happier times, and regrets for what have seemed to be mistaken choices. Reading this has shown me that I must now move on, enjoy my memories but continue to grow and learn.
That’s what humans do, they long for the past. But one thing about the past is true, the past annoyances are forgotten. The good things are remembered. But still, the past brings experiences both good and bad to be used not for duplication, but how to make this present time better because of it.
He/She makes all things NEW! Newness, freshness, expectancy of good. Love this view you’ve highlighted today. We are returning home to a busy calendar after ten days in Paradise. This couldn’t have been more timely. I feel buoyed, hopeful, expectant for all the good around the corner–and frankly, was feeling very sad and longing to stay right here before I read your blog. Thank you, Evan,you are a beacon in the mist with this blog!
Thanks for your timely message, Evan. Eddy in her autobiography states: “The human history needs to be revised and the material record expunged.” And I like to add — only the good remains! Your message tells us that no matter what the history is, unless its of God (which means it has to be then in the present, too) there’s no substance, value or worth in that idea, event, relationship, etc. except the good that is always present and available to us. We can just let go of the past and engage only in the present — such a freedom this brings and lifts our heart to great joy! Thanks again.
Thanks Evan!! This is a great ‘wake-up’ call. Not only can we not go back to yesterday, but we are not the same person today that we were yesterday. I have been working with this truth and it has helped me move forward (in thought) in my understanding of the truth.
Thanks again!!