Thank you Lord, I needed this direction today... You always know exactly what I need to hear and I am grateful, humbled, and blessed.
Thanks Riverbend Church Austin for your faithfulness.
REFLECTING ON PAST
Sermon by Pastor Dave Haney
Pt 1) THINGS TO FORGET
Forget 'the good old days" & its insidious soft lens, which anchors us to the past.
1. Embellished accomplishments - always better in our memories than reality (threw TD pass but on bench).
2. Exaggerated expectations (root cause marriage - not what you expected, fantasy not reality, unrealistic expectations that you've attached to these to people) often cause separation -- prisoner of past, Spouse fell short of 'supposed to be' then one leaves for greener pastures bc they are unwilling to see you're best days are ahead of you together.
One thing @ life that will never change is that it will always change!
3. Endless grievances (real wounds), some scars remain, like divorce, abandonment, rejection etc are visible lessons; never get over it but now need to free ourselves. Others for example, kid borrowed $0.15 for lunch in 3rd grade. Get over it!! ;) that's not to say that there are Grievances that mean you're never good enough! You Exceed your quota but then your boss, your spouse, etc add more, keep raising bar so you're never good enough. They finally set a bar that you cannot attain no matter how hard you try... So now you Can't move forward bc you're stuck in this pain. Result -- Attach ourselves to past bc think our best days are over... Future holds less bc you remember when bar was lower and you felt loved by that person, felt good enough... Let this go! Release yourself from those words, wounds...
Pt 2) THINGS WE SHOULD REMEMBER WELL
1. Fingerprints of God -- catastrophic moments that show you God's intervention again and again making you who you are. God moved according to a plan God had better for us, to use those painful circumstances to teach us and mold us. How God has seen us thru. He's done it before and will do it again! Be encouraged and press on. Trust He will see us thru again, better....when it seemed hopeless, God moved. He Knows and He is at work for us behind the scenes changing our circumstances in ways we cannot imagine (secret desires of our hearts we don't dare breathe or speak).
2. The Ones That Made Us Better -- people who make us stronger or better; circumstances they influence that make us better. Never forget the cost (on you or others) of what it took to get us where we are - never want to go thru the heartache and darkness again. But don't forget... Remember the Angels along the way. People who believe in us! Who encourage us...who loved us. Remember the people who loved us so well and were so good to us even when we didn't deserve it. Remember well those angels in disguise in our lives. They mattered...
3. The Difference You Make -- (legacy) -- our impact. A difference was made by you. Question: did your lesson, your choices damage another? If yes, repent and seek real forgiveness. If not rejoice in how God used you to make a difference in someone else's life.
There are things we must let go of to move on to our higher calling and there are things worth holding onto to build on. Time to build something new, release the old yes, but learn to remember well.
Champion 2nd Chances and believe your best days are before you not behind you!! Allow for your 2nd chance with someone you dearly love or loved. Don't let your pride or anger keep you from your future.
Remember Well.
Remember with thankfulness and gratitude; remember well for the opportunities that lay ahead and leave a legacy of love...
Express the Truth - say I miss you. I love you. He told jokes in midst of circumstances - Dr Gerald Mann: today he would still say:
"You're Not Done Yet! PRESS ON!"
For more please go to www.riverbend.com
Think. Write. Believe. Act.
