It is not Where I’m From, but Where I’m Going

Coulda, shoulda, woulda 

,Every one of us have moments when we “coulda, shoulda, woulda”, if only, don’t we?

Those are the times we wish we could go back and change what is in the past – but we can’t. Instead of looking ahead to new roads, we look back on the past and wish desperately there was a way to change that ugly, miserable past. There isn’t.

You know what to do when you want to keep looking back? Focus on “where you are going.”

STOP looking in the rear-view mirror. Don’t keep going back. Instead, look ahead. 

This is why: we cannot undo our past. We can only change the course of our future. We cannot change the decisions we made in our past. Certainly, we can regret our choices and regret some of those consequences. Yet, we can’t change the choices or the consequences. This is why we stop looking in the rear-view mirror and look ahead.

Where I’m going

Scripture talks about this. Paul gives the church at Philippi his testimony:  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect, but I press on,  . . . one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

In pressing toward his goal, he quit looking back and focused forward. He focused on “where I’m going” so he could keep his eyes on that goal.  We become like our focus. We head toward our focus. That is why we need to focus on “where I’m going” instead of shoulda, woulda, coulda. 

Close the door and keep moving

We must reckon with our past. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignoring our mistakes and failures makes us more vulnerable. It also keep us from making progress. Survey the scenes of your past and acknowledge the failures and consequences. Next, shut the door and move forward. Remember: today is not about where you have come from, but where you are going. Don’t ever forget to keep your eye on the goal – and you’ll be sure to win the prize.