I have been driving a lot with work recently and it occurred to me this morning that if you want to get to your destination, you need to look forwards. Duh, right?!

And yet, how many of us spend way too much time in life trying to move forwards while only looking in the rearview mirror? We try and move forwards while fixating on what has gone before. The decision we made that brought shame and regret, the words spoken that cut deep, the mountaintop experience we wanted to continue, the hurt done to us that we keep reliving…

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Proverbs 4:25 NIV

If we want to reach our goal in life then we need to be looking forwards, fixing our eyes on Jesus. Yes, it’s important to be aware of where we have come from: the things behind us have shaped and brought us to the location we find ourselves in currently. The things we see in our rearview mirror may well come and overtake us in life, they may well reappear at some point, but we can’t be focusing on what’s behind us just in case it resurfaces. Your progression will be hindered if you’re always looking back.

The Bible has a lot to say about looking back: Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt; dogs return to their vomit; Paul forgot what was behind in order to reach his goal; “Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”” (Luke 9:62 MSG)

Don’t let the things behind you stop you from reaching your destination today. Move towards the destination. Look to Jesus. Seize the day.