Past, Present, and Future
I do not know how well that you know me. But I tend to focus to much on my present and past shortcomings. My story is filled with a lot of trial and heartache. From the time I hit puberty until my junior year of college I was hurt and caused multiple people to hurt. The most unfortunate thing about those two statements is that I had an answer to the hurt and trial in my young life. There is this idea of transformation that I want to talk about today, because of the book I just finished called “The Explicit Gospel.” This book had a lot of broad statements that really affected the way I look at my life. The one point that I had the most to take away from came from 1 Corinthians 15:1–2, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.” This idea of past, present, and future transformation has stuck with me.
I tend to dwell on the past. It is one of my fatal flaws. But this verse tells me that the gospel I have received has saved me. I tend to forget this and dwell on the past sin that I have dealt with and feel sorry for myself. I also look at past experiences and when they do not go well tend to think about what I would do hypothetically. The writer of 1 Corinthians here is trying to tell me to remember what the gospel does for me past tense.
But the gospel also changes everything about my present situation. Take today for example.
It has been hard…
I will spare you the details but today feels like a day when God is not close and does not care. That is not true. Even in this slightly worse day God has strategically placed people in my life to point me to truth and help search my heart. While also giving me good general advice to stay physically and emotionally healthy. God sending his son to die a death we deserve completely transforms the way that I am presently living.
One thing that I SUCK at is seeing the gospel and the actual implications that it has for my life. My eternal destination is changed, and I would rather seek fulfillment in wishing that I could change the past or complaining about the present.
I have a future glory to look forward to.
And…
That should motivate me to not feel shame about the past and focus on the present day with that same eternal perspective. God has done amazing things and will continue to do amazing things in my life until I die or go to be with my King.
Is that what transforms you?
