Present, why are you this way?
Why do you paint past
In colors brighter than today?
Why do you sketch the future
In shadows of gloom?
Why do you make us forget
The good we should be mindful of
Why feed fears with fangs
That puncture hope?
Why do you steal courage
And leave one anxious?
“Because you let me
I could never go beyond
The limits of your allowance.
Because you believe me
I’m not even that convincing.
Because you prefer me
Since I am what you see right now.
It’s not my fault: It’s all your choice
So blame no other: what you choose
To believe, you allow.”
It is easy to blame the present for everything gone bad. The Government is clueless, careless. This company is going down. This country is a mess. The people are awful, monsters and terrorists. Everything is horrible. Today is the worst day ever! There may be some elements of truth in that confession but is that the whole truth?
When attention is focused on the present, the intensity of past is no longer real and can be easily diminished or exaggerated. Because we are no longer feeling the past, we are only fully aware of present. Comparing what we are feeling with what we felt can give deceptive results. Past emerges better than present – the only reality we know right now, casting a fearful shadow over the future.
Because we own that data, we did that analysis, we don’t doubt the answers. Subtly, we shift from what we believed when we moved from where we were to where we are, to the terrible pictures our present is setting before us. Consequently, past appears superior, alluring, inviting – the very past we couldn’t wait to escape now attractive, beckoning and we truly begin to reconsider if the step forward that seemed so critical was a right move after all.
Believing the worst of today based on current presentations, we naturally look back with longing instead of pressing ahead. Nobody ever gets ahead looking behind. We begin to drag our feet and draw back because the present has messed up our hope; memories of past has defeated realities of today and visions of tomorrow. Like Israel, we begin to itch, to consider the garlics and cucumbers of Egypt so irresistible we wonder, “Why on earth did we leave in the first place? Who said we were slaves? Then I wasn’t a slave, now I am!”
Patience beloved. Haste has done no one no good. God is at work and life is a process. God is not a magician and life is not automatic – that is where many of us miss it. We cannot blame our present or anyone else for that matter. Let’s go for the root: life is made up of our choices; our choices were guided by our beliefs: what did we believe yesterday when we made that move? What do we believe today and why? We need to fix where our faith lies. It should not be warped by our present circumstances or swayed by unrealistic memories of past. Our faith should rest in God, guided by His Word. And what does that Word say concerning where we are today? What does that Word say about tomorrow? That is what we need to locate and focus on instead of transient presentations and feelings.
Past is past, leave it alone if you want to get ahead. We can’t blame today for luring us out, we can’t blame tomorrow for failing us; we aren’t even there yet. We can’t blame God or Government, or anybody or anything for who and where we are today. It rests squarely on our shoulders. Where we are today may not be the best place but believe me, better places are ahead not behind. And we are not alone. We have a Guide who has committed to go all the way with us. He will never leave nor forsake us. Instead of focusing all attention on what is not going right today, let us turn toward the Guide that knows the way and hear what He has to say. Believe me, God knows better than yesterday or today. Nobody knows tomorrow like Him because He has been there. Who better to trust that our faithful God and Guide?
Glory!