Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you (Proverbs 4:25 – Living).
To walk in the best that God has for you, it’s important to look ahead, not behind. Think about how many people live in the shadow of what they have done. If it’s negative, the past becomes a weight, or a strong chain, holding you back and keeping you from progressing. If you live only in the light of past accomplishments, you’ll feel depressed, thinking that nothing could get better than that.
But our best days are ahead of us. I heard Lester Sumrall say many times, Nothing that I have done, nothing that I am doing, is to be compared to what I’m going to do for Jesus!
Paul encourages us to focus on the future: 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, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)
During an era of great personal hardship and disappointment in my life, my mind wanted to focus on where I had been, what I had accomplished, and how God had used me. It made me feel as though my days of usefulness and adventure were over. The Lord graciously showed me the dead end street I was on, and urged me to look ahead and believe Him for greater things.
During this time, as I was working one day God used a song by Steve Green to adjust my focus from behind to ahead. I broke down in sobs of thanksgiving as he sang: He who began a good work in you, He who began a good work in you, He’ll be faithful to complete it, He’ll be faithful to complete it. He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in you.
Let your daily confession be that your best days are yet to come! Think of all of the things that the Father has put in your heart, and make them the focus of your mental attention. If you want them badly enough, as you seek God, and pursue diligence, the Father and you will find a way to bring those desires to pass.
Remember that the path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more until that perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). Remember that He will perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8). Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).
In the end, we become what we really expect. Expect bigger and better things!