Use your past for more insightful present
"Remember the wonders he has done, His miracles …"
A recent visit with my granddaughter caused me to take out a photo album.
As we turned the pages, a piece of family history was revealed. I pointed out unfamiliar faces to her. We also laughed and remarked how many family faces, hairstyles and fashions have changed over the years.
Our memory is a great gift. Like any other gift God gives us, we have to use it in balance or it can become a detriment to our present and future.
I've oftentimes heard the analogy that a car has a large windshield and a small rearview mirror because we are supposed to spend most of our time moving forward, not looking behind us. However, a glance backward now and then is necessary.
Although we know staying stuck in the past keeps us from moving ahead today, reminiscing from time to time can be a healthy activity. We can benefit from many of our past mistakes and successes.
It can strengthen our self-esteem as we view ourselves as survivors rather than victims. It can tell a story to others as we fill them in on the details of family gifts, abilities and accomplishments.
Used in a positive way, it can help us look at our growth and development as we ponder the life skills we used to overcome past mistakes.
Gaining strength from our past can strengthen our today and tomorrow as we reminisce over God's miraculous part in our lives.
The biblical psalmist David did this as he reminisced how God helped him defeat the lions and bears as a shepherd boy. His God-given ability to slay ferocious animals gave him the courage to slay the giant problems in his adult life.
No one has a past like ours.
The more we know and understand about the previous stages of our lives, the more insightful we will become regarding our present. Using reminiscing as a learning tool can help us better understand how to relate with others and gain wisdom for what lies ahead.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at P.O. Box 532, Grayslake, IL 60030; (847) 543-8413; or Annetteebudzban@aol.com.