To Move Into My Future, Look at Mt Past

In Galatians 6:4 I read, “Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else.” (CSB)

For the last couple of days, I’ve looked together at the unique ways God made me, how he planned every day of my life before I was born and how he gave me my own unique SHAPE—Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences.

But sometimes, even knowing God formed me intentionally and uniquely, I may find yourself not knowing how to move forward in ministry or life in general. Maybe, when I think about the future, I feel more confusion and less joy.

I have forgotten the advice the Bible gives in Galatians 6:4: “Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else” (CSB).

The Bible gives two-part guidance here. First, I should “examine my own work.” In other words, I should look at my past and learn from it.

Next, I should “not compare myself with someone else.” As I examine my own life, don’t let my eyes wander to how God is working in people around me. Concentrate on what he’s done in and through me.

There are plenty of reasons not to compare myself to others. One, I will always be able to find someone who seems to be doing a better job than me and I will become discouraged. Two, I will always be able to find someone who doesn’t seem as effective as me and I will become prideful. Either attitude will rob me of my joy.

God has a better way for me to discover the next steps on his path for me. He wants me to take a close look at my past to help me move into my future.

That’s right—God doesn’t want me to waste my past. God wants to use it.

But sometimes it can be hard to know how to look back effectively over my own life. Here’s one easy exercise to get started:

Take a half-hour this week. Sit down with a piece of paper. Separate it with a line for each period of your life. I could decide to divide my life into five-year periods, or into decades.

Now it’s time to “examine my own work” by creating a life inventory.

Answer these two questions for each time period of my life: What was I good at doing? What did I enjoy doing?

Now go back and look for patterns. If I were good at something when I was younger, I probably still am. Maybe there’s something I enjoyed a few years ago that I have forgotten about.

After I’ve identified patterns in my life, ask God what he wants me to do with this information.

As today’s passage in Galatians says, God might show me things in my past that I can celebrate and be proud of. And seeing patterns of what I’ve been good at and enjoyed throughout my life can help me know how God might want to work through me in the future.

Don’t get caught in a trap of comparison. Instead, take an honest look at my own past. And then step forward with confidence into my future.

In summary, I should examine my own work, then take pride in myself alone, not comparing myself with others. Sometimes, even knowing God formed me intentionally and uniquely, Often, I find myself not knowing how to move forward in ministry or life in general. The Bible provides me with two-part guidance here. First, I should “examine my own work.” In other words, I should look at my past and learn from it. Next, I should “not compare myself with someone else.” As I examine my own life, don’t let my eyes wander to how God is working in people around me. Concentrate on what he’s done in and through me. There are plenty of reasons not to compare myself to others. One, I will always be able to find someone who seems to be doing a better job than me and I will become discouraged. Two, I will always be able to find someone who doesn’t seem as effective as me and I will become prideful. To discover the next steps on his path for me. He wants me to take a close look at my past to help me move into my future. God doesn’t want me to waste my past. God wants to use it. To look back effectively, take a half-hour this week. Sit down with a piece of paper. Separate it with a line for each period of my life.Then “examine my own work” by creating a life inventory. Answer these two questions for each time period of my life: What was I good at doing? What did I enjoy doing? Go back and look for patterns. After I’ve identified patterns in my life, ask God what he wants me to do with this information. God might show me things in my past that I can celebrate and be proud of. And seeing patterns of what I’ve been good at and enjoyed throughout my life can help me know how God might want to work through me in the future. Don’t get caught in a trap of comparison. Take an honest look at my own past. And then step forward with confidence into my future.

When I do my very best, I can feel good about the results. There is no need to compare myself with others. Comparison on my part comes for many reasons. Some of it is to point out others' flaws in order to feel better about myself. Sometimes it is just reassurance that I'm doing well. When I'm tempted to compare, look at Jesus. His example will inspire me to do my very best, and his loving acceptance will comfort me when I fall short of my expectations. I will find time this week to gain insights from my life inventory so that I can have God show me what the next step I need to take. 

Father, it’s important for me to learn from my past so that I can better discover your purpose for me. Lord, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and to trust you in everything including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my training for a future job role and for leading a small group. I pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, amen.