Look Back With Joy!

When was the last time you reflected on your past and then rejoiced in the Lord?

It is a sad fact of human behavior that most of us reflect upon our yesterdays with regret and remorse.

Thoughts of the past usually generate bad press. Too often we look back wishing yesterday was different than it was. Instead of singing God’s praises for being with us in the past, we often sigh and even cry over yesterday. We decreed yesterday as bad news. But what about all the good news our yesterdays were made of?
The Psalmist had a holy habit, and I believe a healthy habit, of reflecting upon yesterday WITH JOY!  He habitually remembered God’s great works on His behalf and then rejoiced in God’s goodness to him. (Psalm 71:19, 66: 5-7,16, 105:1-7, 111:1-4, 126:1-3). 

“I remember the days of old, I meditate on all Thy doings; I muse (reflect and ponder) on the work of Thy hands.”  Psalm 143:5

“Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He uttered by His mouth.”   Psalm 105:5

Remembering and reflecting resulted in rejoicing for the Psalmist.
What is your habit when reviewing the past? Is your reflection process holy and healthy like the Psalmist? Do you remember what you should remember with joy?
As fickle people who struggle with remaining faithful to God, we tend to forget things we should not forget and remember things we should not remember.
Psalm 78:11-12 declares of God’s people Israel “and they forgot His deeds, and His miracles that He had shown them. He wrought wonders before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoar.” Like Israel, we forget God’s good deeds, miracles and wonderful works in our lives.
We forget because we are forgetful.
We forget because the devil does not want us to remember and rejoice. We forget because we are surrounded and influenced by a society of forgetters. We forget because we focus on our failures instead of our successes, our nightmares instead of our dreams, our strike outs instead of our hits and home runs, our defeats instead of our victories, our pains instead of our gains, our lack instead of our provision, and our tears instead of our cheers!
I used to view my past with regret. But I have (and still am) learning to rejoice in yesterday. Why the shift in attitude? Because there are plenty of reasons why I should rejoice when I look back to yesterday.

• God has always been with me.
• God has sustained me.
• God has protected me.
• God generously provided for me, my family and ministry.
• God has directed my steps.
• God has spared me. God has delivered me.
• God has graciously corrected and matured me.
• God has healed, restored and renewed me.
• God has richly blessed every area of Steve Roll’s life.

Above all, God saved me through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ for which I am eternally grateful.
Christians have every reason to rejoice when they look back to remember what God has done for them through Jesus Christ.   

My fellow Christian, remember and rejoice in all the life you have lived under the watchful, loving, merciful, gracious eye of Almighty God. Your heavenly Father has been Lord over the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly in our lives.   

We should rejoice in our yesterdays because…

• What God did for us yesterday makes us who/what we are today.
• What God did in and through us proves His love for us.
• Yesterday provides us with a personal testimony of God’s goodness.
• Rejoicing in our yesterdays encourages others to redeem their yesterdays.
• What God did yesterday He will do today and tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8)

When we look back to yesterday, we are confronted with a choice. We can remember and regret or we can REMEMBER and REJOICE. Our choice to rejoice in yesterday will inspire us to rejoice in today. And everyday is a better day when we rejoice in the Lord!

Set aside some time this week to reflect on the past. Write down all the wonderful things God has done for you. Then give Him thanks for every single one!

REMEMBER AND REJOICE!!!

“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate on all Thy work and talk of Thy doings. Thy way, Oh God, is holy; What god is great like out God? Thou art the God who works wonders…”      Psalm 77:11-14a ​

A Word For Your Week: Give thanks today for God’s goodness to you yesterday.