About a year after college, I picked up the Freshman 15. It was the freshman year of adulthood 15, not the college one. I did a great job of hiding it, I did an even better job of losing it. I committed to eating better and a consistent exercise regimen and shed the weight.
Though my weight has remained intact since but it does fluctuate. Every now and then I find myself wishing I was back to my college size or the size I was when I lost the weight the first time, becoming nostalgic about how I once looked.
While it’s okay to be proud of your progress and how far you’ve come, it can be discouraging to get hung up on it. How can God propel me forward if I haven’t moved on from the past? If I’m always focused on what was and what used to be, how can I be ready for right now and what’s to come?
What’s Ahead of You is Greater than What’s Behind You
God has better things in store for me. My future is better than anything that I can imagine. There’s no way I can get there if I’m always longing for what once was. The past has already happened. If anything, I need to use the past to think about all of the things I’ve overcome and all that God has brought me through and allow those memories to help me keep the faith and the fuel I need to keep pushing.
Things may look rough and you may be scared after you take a big leap but the fact that you stepped out on faith is enough for God and he has your back. God promised to never leave nor forsake us. Do your part and watch God show up and show out in ways you never even thought possible. He’s working things out on your behalf and lining up the right people.
You are where you need to be right now at this moment. If God wanted you to stay at that job, trust me, you would still be there. If God wanted you to stay with that guy, you better believe he would be calling you right now. You may think you have the answers or that you made a mistake, but God already knew what you were going to do and He’s granted you the grace to deal with it. You have unmerited favor that fixes everything for you, even when you mess up.
Stop Looking Back
It’s tempting to long for what once was. I want my 2012 body too, girl, but I also know that this 2018 one has a better story to tell. It’s strong and has brought me a long way even when I wasn’t that nice to it so I’m choosing to honor what once was and appreciate what is. Let the past be the past. Focus on your future. Write it down. Create the vision for your life and look at it every single day. Do what you need to do to get you to that point and trust God to take care of your shortcomings. Let your heart be your guide.
As always, take what you need and leave the rest.
