Moving Forward

How many times do we linger on the mistakes of the past? I know that I have many times. How do we feel after we think such thoughts? Do we feel good? I know that I don't, and I'd be willing to bet that a lot of you don't either.

When we focus on the past, rather than the future, we limit our potential. We can make up excuses as to why we aren't progressing or being as successful as we would hope, but really; we are the ones holding ourselves back. As soon as we break the chains of the past and look ahead, we will be freed. We will tap into our true potential as sons and daughters of God, we will feel the rush of excitement of a new day and new experiences, and we will relish the opportunity to make a change for the better in our lives and the lives around us. The past is meant to be learned from so we can have a brighter future. Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles puts it very nicely, "when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future" (The Best Is Yet to Be). Faith is looking ahead, living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and trusting that God knows best. When we look back, as Lot's wife did as her family left the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, we are not exercising faith. We all know what happened to her, she turned into a pillar of salt. Elder Holland states, "God doesn’t care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go" (The Best Is Yet to Be). Lot's wife, as we see, wasn't exercising faith, and she looked back, even longingly for where she WAS. She didn't look forward to where she would BE

I know that as we "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, with a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all mankind" (2 Nephi 31:20) we will feel the freedom that comes from letting go of the past. I have such a strong testimony in this; I know that if we endure to the end, and keep the commandments of God, we will be able to enjoy one of His greatest gifts. This promise comes from God Himself, "thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31:20).

With love,
Elder Brennan Edwards