Rear View Vision

"Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."

I remember asking my mom, "What does that mean?" when I was riding in the car with her when I was younger. She tried to explain to me that the car manufacturers were trying to warn the drivers that while the mirrors were there to help them see behind, the reflection was distorted providing not an entirely truthful picture of what was actually there.

Over these past few weeks, I've been giving a lot of thought on looking back in my life. I've been reading through the book of Isaiah and came across the well-known and well-loved verse, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past" (Is. 43:18). I find it to be so interesting because at other points in the Bible (several times in Deuteronomy, for example), God instructs His people to look back and remember what He's done and where they've come. Why the conflicting instructions?

As I've prayed about it more, I realized a specific distinction between "remembering" and "dwelling on the past." Too often when I look back on my life I find that I'll either spend time reminiscing about the past or struggling with regret. It's great to think back on fond memories, but when I start to dwell on them with "rose-colored glasses," remembering the "good old days" without any of their troubles, I find myself wanting to go back to what I think was an easier time. Or, I'll think back on poor decisions or sinful shortcomings and they seem so big and condemning. Like those rear view mirrors, my rear view vision is often distorted making the past perfect and my mistakes mammoth. When I live in a state of reminiscing or regretting, I'm stuck, paralyzed by feelings of inadequacy and a lack of desire to even try and do better in the future.

I think that's what God's talking about when He says, "Forget about it!" He goes on to say, "I'm doing a new thing!" something that will be even better than the best days of the past. The only reason we should ever look back is simply to remember, to reflect on His goodness and faithfulness and the grace that has brought us this far. Remember what He's done, thank Him for it, and use the memory to encourage further steps into the unknown new thing that He's doing next.