Yesterday Ended Last Night

Don't you love it when the pastor says something  almost "in passing" that hits you like a TON of bricks! It wasn't even his main point! But it was definitely the point the God intended me to hear...and just maybe...He might like for it to cross your ears too!

It referenced Philippians 3:13-18, you know where Paul is talking and says, "Forgetting what lies behind, I press on to the race set before me!" And then he said it..."Yesterday ended last night!"

Ummmm yeah! I waste so much energy and time thinking and rethinking things that happened "yesterday!" And isn't it just like God to reinforce His message within the first 24 hours. I was talking this evening to a young mom - a single mother of three while we both waited for our take out dinners to be packed up - and we were watching a large group of people who came in after us....and they just COULD NOT make up their minds what to order...and my new friend and I were laughing just a little bit, because we both walked in telling them what we wanted! No muss...no fuss!

And this sweet little Mama says..."oh yeah...during the day, I am a drill sergeant...do this; I want that; No, the BLUE one; Yes I'll be happy to help with that! But when I get in bed and am still for a minute my brain explodes! I replay conversations and analyze what I wish I had said. Or I ponder choices I need to make for my kiddos and am SOOO wishy washy! Before I know it, its morning and I feel like I haven't figured anything out!" Her words could have been mine!

Boy oh boy! I am a "processor." And I haven't really thought about the fact that all of that "processing" is keeping part of my mind and heart rooted and grounded in the past!

I'm sure the rest of the sermon was good...but God had my attention and I didn't want to miss a thing that He had to say to me....so I pulled a pad of paper out and just listened to Him speak to my heart...and quickly jotted notes so I could remember.

Here are three of the things that spoke to me about this simple phrase" "Yesterday ended last night!

1. This isn't a "free pass" on unconfessed sin. If there is something that has happened and I haven't made it right - first with confession and repentance and then by doing whatever is appropriate to the situation - then what is going on in my head is CONVICTION and doesn't end with the setting of the sun...it is the Holy Spirit lovingly calling me to repentance...and the quicker I step into obedience, the quicker the sun can go down on my sins of yesterday.

2. All the energy I put into thinking and rethinking ROBS me of energy that I should be expending on the "road before me." I know you've heard this - "Delayed obedience is DISOBEDIENCE." Perhaps for the first time, I realized that focusing on the path BEHIND me instead of the one BEFORE me is just flat out disobedience. And that is just unacceptable!!!!!

3. And the one that caught me off guard is this: When I insist on analyzing things that have happened in the past in order to determine a solution, I am displacing God's role in our relationship. I'm, in effect, saying to Him..."I don't need your help....I've got this!" Wow...that is arrogance and pride all rolled up in the blanket of idiocy! Do I REALLY think that I can come up with a better solution than God?!?!?! Of course, when asked in that straight forward manner I would fall all over myself denying that I would EVER think that...much less give it voice! But my actions speak louder than words...in fact they just SCREAM that I think that God needs my help. Yeah...that is the EXACT moment when that ton of bricks fell on my THICK HEAD!

Ouch! Enough to give a girl a headache!

Here is my illustration that I will use to remind myself of just how futile and silly it is for me to live in "Yesterday rather than TODAY!"

I chose the sunrise over the mountains because of a couple of scriptures:

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23-24

When I let "Yesterday End Last Night," I gain His fresh and new mercies  in full measure in the morning which is EXACTLY what I need. And,

 "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?" Psalm 121:1

I don't want to be arrogant...I want to be grateful.

I don't want to divide my attention...I want to be laser focused on God's plan.

I don't want to hinder God's mercies...I want to be the recipient of EVERY blessing God wants to bestow on me.

How about you?

I have created a free printable if you would like to create your own version of this page.... You can find it on my website here: Printables

I have also created two new Illuminated Journaling Workshops...and am launching a whole area on my website dedicated to Illuminated Journaling... You can learn more here.

Thanks for sticking with me on this one - I wanted to share it with you while it was still fresh in my mind.

ESV Journaling Bible	48 Prismacolor Pencils	Koi Watercolor 24 Field Sketch	Micron 6 Pen Set
Watercolor Brushes	Fine Point Pencil Sharpener	White Gel Pen	Kneaded Eraser
Gamsol/Odorless Mineral Spirits	Blending Stumps	Tim Holtz Idea-ology DESIGN RULER Clear 12 Inch TH92481	Tracing Paper Pad
Graphite Paper

InLinkz.com