Finding Hope when We Look in the Rear View Mirror of our Lives (Pt. 4)

18 04 2015

rear-view-mirrorA few months ago, I was involved in an accident that did an immense amount of damage to the front end of our vehicle. In the process of getting it repaired, I realized that I had a multifaceted problem: the body and engine were damaged, as well as some other key parts. The multifaceted problem required a multifaceted solution. I needed a guy who could do body work and a guy who could do engine repair.

Our past is multifaceted as well. It is not just one big lump. It is not a large, mysterious entity that cannot be understood or properly addressed. God’s Word can help us assess it and handle it well! It is important that we learn to properly look at our past and categorize it Biblically so that we can find the specific principles that Scripture gives us to help us with the specific facets of our past.

As we examine our past events, we need to ask two questions that enable us to categorize our past correctly. The first question is,was this an event where I suffered (because of either another person’s sinful actions against me or because of the general trials that result from living in a sin-cursed world) or where I sinned? Our ability to answer this question is important, because clarifying the nature of what happened in my past helps us find and apply the appropriate solution from Scripture. The second question is, how did I respond? Sometimes when we suffered at the hands of others or in the general trials of life, we responded really well! At others times, we sorely displeased the Lord in how we chose to think, act, or respond. The same is true about our past in regards to our sinful choices. Sometimes we were quick to repent and humbly submit to God, and other times we were hard headed and took additional steps down the wrong path.

Our answers to these diagnostic questions help us locate the specific truths of Scripture that we can apply to our specific events of the past. When we think Biblically about life in an organized, Biblical fashion, we will soon discover that a significant portion of Scripture is narratives that mirror our own circumstances and give us multifaceted solutions to our multifaceted past.

Think about it this way:

1. To those who suffered innocently but responded right, you have the riveting story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50.

2. To those who suffered innocently but didn’t respond right, you have the sobering story of Naomi in the book of Ruth.

3. To those who sinned in your past and did respond right, you have the humbling story of the disciple Peter.

4. To those who sinned in your past and did not respond right, you have the sad story of King David.

Today, here is your homework. Practice the discipline of categorizing your past correctly. You may not be responsible for all that is in your past, but you are responsible for how you respond to each event. My prayer is that God will help you respond right with the help of these email thoughts.


Categories : Congregational Helps, Discipleship

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