The Future looks bright!!

As this year slowly comes to a close, I find myself reflecting. Self reflection has been a blessing and a curse in many ways in my life. When I self reflect, I find myself becoming more aware of my feelings and emotions towards life. Here comes the curse part, inevitably as I "self reflect" I feel the ugly monster start to awaken in my soul. The monster that says..........What if? What if you did this? What if you did that? What if this didn't happen in your life? after I am berated with "What if" his amazing too real and close friend arrives........"YOU SHOULD"!!! You should act this way, you should be this person, you should avoid this or that.

Last night, while trying to catch some sleep, "What if" and "You Should" decided to visit me until the wee hours of the morning. Finally feeling defeated I went to sleep. It's amazing how these two little statements can leave someone feel so drained. They help you replay past hurts, pains, bad decisions, and can ultimately derail the path you should be heading on to take an easier road. Because the "what if's" remind you of the pain and the "you should's" guide the course to avoid it from happening again.

HOWEVER, when I woke this morning Isaiah 43:18-19 popped in my head, and it goes like this. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." This truth, God's truth seemed to resound within my soul this morning. God is doing a new thing! I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, GOD IS DOING A NEW THING!!!

No matter what your circumstances look like its happening. It says that he is making a way in the desert! The desert that might dwell in our hearts, in our friendships, and even in our personal relationship with God. It also says he is making streams in the wasteland! Streams of of life giving and living water. You know what that makes me believe that in the wasteland of our heart or my pain that GOD is going to bring LIFE AND GIVE LIFE to those around us through our pain.

At church we have CORE values and this one is one of my favorites. It is FAITH-FILLED IN CONFESSION - "We look into the future with great expectation. We honor the past, but are most loyal to our future. Our language is full of faith knowing that the best is yet to come!" The best part of this is we honor the past, but we are most loyal to our future. This is the kind of person I want to be! That can look back and understand the value of it, but everything I say or talk about should be geared toward my future and the future God has for me and my family.

So I encourage you with this thought, when "what if" and "you should" pays you a visit during the day or night. Remind, him that God has an amazing future in store for you and he is doing a new thing!!! YAS a new thing!