Your Next Is Now

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old” (Isaiah 43:18 NKJV).

When we look at the prophetic writings of Isaiah, we find God speaking through the prophet, reminding his people that He is the Almighty God and besides Him there is no other. He confirms over and over again that He is the One in full control of our lives. And He tells the nation of Judah, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old” (Isaiah 43:18 NKJV).

God was encouraging the people of Judah not to dwell on how they had to struggle in the past to become a nation. He's saying the same thing to us today. God doesn't want you dwelling on the past, because when you do, you'll find yourself still feeling some of the hurt, anger, and pain. We can appreciate the past. we can learn from it. But we can't stay stuck there. Isaiah 43:18 in the message translation of the Bible says, “Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Yeshua even says in Luke 9:62 that “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

So, you've got to ask God to help you forge ahead. The past has got to be the past so God can shift you to the next phase of your journey. So often, we can get too comfortable and complacent, but there comes a time when you have to move toward that mix phase of your journey, whether it be from hourly employee to management, from traveling evangelists to a pastoral position, or from the single life to marriage and parenthood.

You have to be open for the next phase to get there. Your mind has to be prepared for it. You've got to motivate and position yourself for it. And you've got to know that there is something greater for you there. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm ready for the more of God. I don't want to be stuck, and I don't want to be stagnant. If He has a next place, I'm ready for it. We can't grieve forever about what was. It's time to move on. It's time to move forward. And if that's you today, I want you to know that your next begins NOW!