The power of history

What do you think? Is it better to look back and reflect or look to the future or just live the here and now? There are so many ideas. Some say never look back. What’s done is done. Let’s just live in the moment. If we don’t look back though, are we likely to make the same mistakes? I was reading a devotional this morning and a quote was used that I thought was clever. “You can either learn by making your own mistakes, or be wise and learn from somebody else’s.” So this quote clearly urges to give a look back, and not just look back at our own lives but look back at others. This is like the old saying, if you don’t study history then your bound to repeat it. What better history could we study than the Bible. It’s the origin story of mankind. It is full of examples of mistakes we can learn to avoid. I always have sin pestering me and luring me to endulge. Sometimes I engage in battle against it and sometimes I give in. Why, you may ask, would I give in? It’s simple really. I give in on days that I’m not studying God’s word. His word is our power against temptation. It is the examples given to us in its content that we can learn from and not repeat. 1Corinthians 10:11-13 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warning for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
You may ask, what is the way out? His word. The more we read and study His word, the more we recognize the mistakes that have been made, the way to avoid them and the best part of all is how much God loves us. He always has and always will. The Holy Spirit resides in all who have put their faith and trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and He can use His word to help you in the hour of temptation, if you only take the time to study and learn it! Let’s do this together! Let’s take time each day to be in God’s word and prayer. We don’t need to spend our days making our own mistakes to learn from. Father in Heaven, once again we thank you for your word to us. It is a treasure of immeasurable worth!!
God bless you all and much love!