Getting our priority right: Focusing on the future!!! ********************************************************* There is an interesting verse in the Bible about the life of Apostle Paul and his philosophy on how he handled his past, present, and future. In Philippians 3:13 he proclaims the essence of this philosophy as follows: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Let’s re-read it again. The one thing that Paul did on an ongoing and regular basis was forgetting those things which are behind him (the past), and reaching forward (standing on the present) to those things which are ahead (the future). It is interesting to note that his whole focus and priority is on the future. The past, he forgets. The present, well, he uses the present to reach forward to those things which are ahead. It appears he spends 90% of his present time to reach forward and press ahead to the future. It is clear he spent very little time on the past to forget it. His focus was on the future to create and live new realities. No wonder he is one of the most prominent, well-traveled, and successful early Christian pioneer. The questions most ask, then, are what do you do about the burden and crippling effect of the past (be it institutionalized injustice or individual hurts) whose tentacles extend to the present? How do you shelve (forget) the past and reach forward and press ahead to the future? The more pertinent question to ask actually is: How do you end the burden and crippling effect of the past on your present and future unless you end the effect of the past by creating new reality in the future? If you look at it closely, the burdensome and crippling past is the prison house that keeps you in bondage unless you do something about it. If all that you are doing is complaining and waning about how grave your situations are… you are self-detaining and victimizing yourself in the hell the enemy created for you. Think about it again. Where do you spent most of your time? What occupies your mind a lot? What troubles you often? What do you think, discuss and read most? Is that about your past? Is that about your present? Or is that about your future? The secret of our success or failure as an individual and society lies on getting our priorities right by focusing on the future. Unless we learn to shelve the past and use the present to plan and create new reality that will replace the effect of the past, focusing on the past will continue to burden and ruin our future. Watch this: The past only ends when you create a new reality that ends it, and you start living in that new reality instead of your past. The trick in ending the burden and crippling effect of the past, therefore, lies in the decision not to live the ugly past, BUT create a new beginning today to live a new reality tomorrow. Therefore, man-up and get your priorities right by focusing on the future. Surround yourself with those in the same mission as you. Be a pathfinder and go where there is no path and leave a trail for others to follow you. Be a pathfinder and a pioneer of your future, your family’s future, and your country’s future. Let no one deny you your destiny, least of all the past.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 17:06:12 +0000
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