sacred sabbaths: learned from, not lived in

Nov 13, 2011

The past, that is.

Look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences, but not the ashes. And when we’ve learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we’ve experienced, we look ahead. We remember that faith is always pointed towards the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.

Apparently, Lot’s wife was not able to look ahead. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she had. She thought that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind.

These thoughts are coming from a BYU devotional by Jeffrey R. Holland that I listened to today. I recommend you listen to it too.

To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now…this is the problem Lot’s wife had…and a problem many of us have…including me. These thoughts remind me of this post from over two years ago.

He goes on to talk about not just letting our own pasts go, but to let other’s go as well and to stop dwelling on their past mistakes…stop throwing other’s sins, situations, and sorrows back at them. I loved these thoughts and am going to do an inventory of myself to see if I am holding on to the past in a way that is not only not helpful, it is not Christlike.

Then he encourages us to hold on to our dreams, to work for them, to have hope for the future. Powerful thoughts in these times that can be seen as dismal and discouraging.

He closes with this powerful statement, which I want to engrave upon my heart:

Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever.

Happy Sabbath!