{"id":3233,"date":"2015-12-27T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2015-12-27T15:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3233"},"modified":"2015-09-06T11:12:58","modified_gmt":"2015-09-06T16:12:58","slug":"choose-to-keep-moving-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3233","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Keep Moving Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Year of Choices <\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Keep<\/a>I\u2019m a big believer in living in the present.<\/p>\n

So many people live in the past, constantly lamenting what might have been.\u00a0 They obsess over things like\u2026if only I had married the geek I thought was a loser in college who became a millionaire.\u00a0 If only I had taken that job with the start-up company I thought would go nowhere but went sky high.\u00a0 If only I hadn\u2019t gotten pregnant at sixteen.\u00a0 If only I had finished college instead of dropping out.\u00a0 If only I hadn\u2019t gotten drunk and had a tattoo of a naked lady put on my arm.\u00a0 If only, if only, if only\u2026<\/p>\n

Everyone\u2019s life is full of missed opportunities, some unwise decisions, and regret.\u00a0 These things cannot be changed. Yet many seem held captive by things they can do nothing about.<\/p>\n

Others put their lives on hold waiting for the future.\u00a0 As soon as all their preconceived needs are met they will get their priorities straight and live the good life.<\/p>\n

Both extremes of living in the past or waiting for the future are immobilizing and prevent us from going forward.\u00a0 Christian\u2019s lives should not be held in suspended animation.\u00a0 We must keep moving by walking with God on our day by day journey.\u00a0 That\u2019s what living in the present is all about.<\/p>\n

God knows all our needs and doesn\u2019t want us to worry about them.\u00a0 (Matthew 6:25-32)\u00a0 He is fully capable of taking care of them.\u00a0 Our focus needs to be on seeking the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33-34)\u00a0 This means building a relationship with God on a daily basis.\u00a0 Seek him day by day.\u00a0 That\u2019s our priority \u2013 and we can\u2019t do it when we are constantly lamenting the past or waiting for the future.<\/p>\n

When we learn to do this we don\u2019t have to wait for the future, we can look forward and move into the future.\u00a0 Living in the present by walking daily with God helps us accept and learn from our past, then move on into the future.\u00a0 We are moving towards something.\u00a0 Paul says to forget what is behind and move forward.\u00a0 (Philippians 3:13-14)<\/p>\n

Christians cannot afford to be stagnant.\u00a0 We need to learn from the past so we don\u2019t make the same mistakes over and over again, live in the present to continue building a lasting relationship with God but move forward with Him into the future.<\/p>\n

There is no better time to focus on this concept than when we are facing a New Year.<\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026 We don\u2019t know what lies ahead of us this next year, but we do know our God has it all under control.\u00a0 \u00a0He goes before us.\u00a0 He walks beside us.\u00a0 Our days are in His loving hands.\u00a0 (Psalm 31:15)\u00a0 So we can move forward with confidence in Him.\u00a0 It beats being left behind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Martin<\/a><\/p>\n

Suggestions for practicing this choice\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n