Yesterday

Have a poster of the Beatles on my office wall at ATB, and when looking at it I am reminded how Paul McCartney stole my girlfriend away from me at 16. Not literally obviously, but he stole her heart as that group literally took over the hearts of many young American girls. 

That was of course Yesterday,  so I found myself singing that song and in fact am going to sing it in a group this week talking about this same subject (always looking to expand my comfort zone). However, there is another song titled Yesterday's Gone by Chad & Jeremy reminding us of a simple fact, we can't face today if we are living in yesterday.

Ask Lot, he lost his wife who lost her life by looking back when she was told to look forward. How many of us have lost friends or family members who could not let go of the past and fell because of it? Jesus gave us a preview of what harm it could be to us: No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62

Paraphrasing in todays jargon, when you look back all the time, you can't see what is in front of you. You can never realistically face today's challenges fighting yesterday's battles. And, you can't focus on recovery if you are always thinking about what used to be.

The used to be's prevent us from becoming what we can be. Memories of good things are to be cherished, lessons from mistakes are to be taken, but longing for getting yesterday back and not living and loving the presence of today prevents real growth and satisfaction. I wish I had my deceased son back but it can't happen in this world, so I press on hoping I will see him one day in heaven.

In the meanwhile, I will live every day looking forward, not regretting the past, but looking to live every day in front of me to make the absolute most of it, following the God who healed my past mistakes. Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though they are here to stay. Beatles

They were, but God changed all that, now Yesterday's Gone!