King Hezekiah had 15 years added to his life by reminding God how he had served Him faithfully all his life. If his past had been a mess, he would not have gotten the divine favor.
Taking a look at the past at times has a lot of advantages, especially when it is not intended to make one just dwell in the past glory. The past, we are often told, helps us to understand the present and charts the path for the future.
“Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him” (Job 29:12).
Job, in his present suffering condition, reflected on his past. He recalled his past prosperity, glory, honor and security, and found out that all these were tied to his character, because he put on “righteousness and it clothed me, and my judgment was a robe, a diadem”, and because he lived for the cause of others – the poor, helpless, widow and downtrodden. His was a righteous and selfless life.
This exercise then explains that his present condition of suffering and trial is not as a result of a past life of unrighteousness, selfishness and wickedness.
Recalling our past lives has a lot of advantages. It helps us to understand our present condition. We are able to find out if our present unpleasant condition is as a result of a past life of sin and wickedness.
If this is so, the way out will be genuine repentance and restitution. It helps us to gauge our present spiritual life by asking such questions as: are we better than who we were in the past or have we lost our first love, gone cold or lukewarm? It provides a check for our spiritual life.
Remember your humble beginning, how that you were little and nothing in your eyes before the Lord found you and made you who you are today.
In moments of trials, temptations, difficulty and hardship, recalling past testimonies of God’s faithfulness, gives us the assurance and confidence that He will yet deliver us.
Reflect on your past today and receive solace and comfort in the goodness of the Lord.
Thought for the day: The totality of a man’s present life is determined by his past.