I have a long driveway compared to some homes. To back out of my driveway each morning I rely heavily on the help of my rearview mirror. A rearview mirror helps drivers keep an eye on what is behind them, and especially when you are backing up, this is very helpful. Safe drivers keep a frequent eye on their rearview mirrors.But staring at your rearview mirror while driving means you won't stay on the road for very long. Not too long ago, I passed a car wreck and was looking back at the wreck in my rearview mirror as I looked away from the rearview mirror I realized I was about to plow into the back of the car in front of me. I had to slam my brakes to avoid a crash.
The point is that a good driver knows how to discern the right amount of time to look back while staying focused on what lies ahead. The very same lesson is true in our lives.
The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:13-14, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
It is very helpful, at times, to look back on our lives. God can use your retrospection - good times and bad, the painful memories as well as the delicious one, the hard lessons learned and the hard victories won. But, as Paul stresses, staring into your past is hazardous. When we become too focused on where we've been, we lose track of where we are going. We get off course, and we may end up running into something.
Jesus told a man who was wanting to follow him but first wanted to bury a family member before he did in Luke 9:59-62, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." The true disciple of Christ is one who doesn't stay focused on the past.
Some side rearview mirrors have a label on them that reads: Warning: Objects may be closer than they appear. I believe we should heed Scripture's warning about staring into the rearview mirror of our lives. It will derail us from our journey. Our ultimate destination lies ahead, not behind.
One of the very best things you could do in your life is to stop staring at, focusing on, or being overwhelmed by past events in your life. Start looking at your journey ahead in Christ Jesus!
