Look Where You’re Going

There are many women today who live by continually looking at where they came from:

I was physically abused.

I was sexually abused.

I was bullied.

I was always told I was… fat, stupid, no good, would never amount to anything, etc..

By hearing these things spoken over us day after day, year after year, we begin to believe them, especially when they are spoken by people we love. Words are powerful. They can make or break a person. When spoken negatively our words can be detrimental. However, when spoken positively our words have the power to heal and build others up.

Often times as adults we continually remember the negative things that were spoken over us and prevent ourselves from living the abundant life that Jesus came so we can have. Jesus wants us to have a full life, an enjoyable life. He wants us to be happy. Yet many refuse because they are too busy looking at where they came from instead of where they’re going.

Sometimes we wonder where we fit in to God’s plan for our lives. It can be overwhelming. We’ve heard for years that we don’t fit in, that we don’t measure up. But we were listening to the wrong people. We weren’t listening to God. Because according to God we are:

A Masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)

Chosen! (Ephesians 1:11)

Wonderfully Made (Psalms 139:14)

Beautiful(Psalm 45:11)

Called(Jeremiah 1:5)

Forgiven (Psalm 86:5)

Anointed (1 John 2:27)

and especially… Loved (1 John 3:16, John 3:16)!

With all these promises from God, how can we ever believe anything negative? And these promises aren’t the only ones. There are so many more in God’s Word, straight from Him.

There are also still those who would like nothing more than to remind us of our past, but sadly these are the people who are also living in the past themselves. It’s time to move up and move on and live the happy, abundant life we were meant to live. We need to stand still and let God heal us, anoint us, and affirm us. When we do that, the negative things that once controlled us will crumble and fall. Because God’s Word also says that no weapon formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17)!

Where we came from doesn’t matter in the sight of God. If we belong to Him, our past is forgotten. We need to forget it, too. Stop allowing others to remind us and keep us in the past. We need to stop looking where we came from and look where we’re going. Because where we’re going looks much better.

Shelley Wilburn

Shelley Wilburn has been writing since the age of twelve. She loves stories and adventures, and often finds herself getting into mischief with any one of her six grandchildren. She has written several articles and devotionals over the years for various newspapers, women's magazines, and newsletters. She has also co-authored devotionals. Shelley began writing full-time in 2012 after being healed of over 40 years of depression and anxiety. Using her love of writing, and wearing mismatched socks, Shelley has developed a unique ministry of encouraging others using biblical truths and stories from her own personal life. When not writing, you can find Shelley and her husband of over 30 years, D.A. zipping down the road in their newest adventure-maker, a bright orange, Mustang convertible Shelley has laughingly dubbed The Pony.