Past, Present or Future?

The state of your future depends on how you choose to apply your present as well as your past.

“Treat a man as he appears to be and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he already were what he could potentially be and you make him what he should be.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Translation: The way you see people is the way that you treat them, and the way that you treat them is exactly who they become.

Think about it.

Who has mistreated you based on what they thought to be true of you? Who has inspired you based on what they believed you could be?

See the difference? One may have been based on your past or present and the other totally based on your potential future!

What were the results of each, how did you feel, what did you do?

Now, put the shoe on the other foot.

Who have YOU mistreated based on what you thought to be true of them? (and who knows maybe it is or was absolutely true!)

What do you think would have happened if you chose to believe in what or who they could be?

Let’s be those people who encourage, inspire and believe in other’s potential!

Years ago in the infancy of my ministry work, I was feeling extremely held back from doing more and putting myself out there because of the shame I carried with me over my past. The countless mistakes I had made, the missed opportunities, the bad example…

As I shared my feelings of guilt, doubt and shame with a much wiser woman than me, without hesitation she reminded me of God’s love and grace for our journey.

She continued to encourage me with the fact that my guilt, doubt and shame died the moment I believed in Christ’s work on the cross for all mankind. So stop picking it all back up already! (p.s. let’s stop picking up others guilt, doubt and shame and handing it back to them please & thank you)

The most profound thing she said was that my history was all part of HIS-story and her exact words were,

“your past was meant to help change someone else’s future…”

That was paradigm shifting stuff for me right there!!
(And those of you who have heard me speak, I weave that little phrase in any chance I get!)

So who can you think of in your circle of influence right now who’s present situation is similar to one you’ve had in the past? Can you encourage them with a little of what you know now that you didn’t know then? DO IT!

Are there people looking in on your present situation that have no idea the difficult past you had to overcome to get to where you are now? SHARE IT!

It has been said that what you believe to be true of your future is in fact true. So what are you believing to be true about your past, your present and your future?

We get what we focus on so prioritize your focus!

Applying lessons from my past to my present all while purposefully preparing for my desired future, how about you?

~ Deana