New Series called “Sorry, but I’ve got to ask…”
Here I’ll just be writing about ideas, topics and questions which have come to me during the week, and since its my page… I can talk about whatever I want. Though, in the future I do want to get at questions and topics I’ve asked and had been asked like:
- What’s your opinion on the use of birth control within a marriage?
- Why did Jesus speak in parables?
- Are Christians dishonest in their prayers?
With that out of the way, I’d like to get to today’s question.
I think something a lot of Christians tend to say, and an idea we love to push is that some of us are being held back by our past failures, struggles and sins.
Whether it’s the guilt, that feeling of being unqualified, or even convincing themselves that it’s only a matter of time til they fall, many Christians struggle with moving on after giving their lives to Christ.
But that’s not what I wanna talk about today.
I want to flip this and sorry but I’ve got to ask… Is Your Past Success holding you back?
What do I mean?
Many Christians, and even non-Christians, are so focussed on the times they’ve been blessed, the great things they’ve experienced and the good deeds they’ve done in the past that they haven’t realised that they’ve been in the same spot ever since.
Imagine Michael Jordan retired from the NBA in 2003 as he did and decided to spend the rest of his days watching highlights. No Jordan brand. No documentaries. No future projects and ventures.
–Well he achieved so much during his career, surely that would be enough. Even if he stopped there, nobody could say he wasn’t successful. He’s arguably the GOAT, and I’m only saying arguably to be nice.–
But really imagine it. What if he stopped there? Yes he had done so much in the NBA, but what followed was even greater.
It’s easy to talk about the great things God did in your life 2 years ago. It sure is satisfying when we can say how God used us to do this back in secondary school and how in 2017 you gave everything you had in your pockets to that homeless person on the street.
But you have to ask yourself… what have you done since then? Has God just stopped using you? Or have you simply been so focussed on your highlights that you haven’t found the time to start something new?
Now this isn’t to say that we shouldn’t look back and thank God for the things which have occured in the past, whether good or bad.
There’s plenty of times where I’ve looked back at the mistakes I made, and thanked God because I don’t know what my life would be like if I was still in that space. Same way I may thank God for opportunities He’s provided in the past where I’ve been able to do something good.
But, if I focus only on that, I may miss out on what God is trying to do now.
That alone to be honest could be the message but lemme just throw something else out there.
The Bow Wow effect.
If you don’t get what I’m talking about, I’d say check the link below.
You never want to get to a point where your past success has you convinced that your current position is greater than it is.
This isn’t to discredit anything Bow Wow has done in the past and may be doing now. In my opinion he still is a celebrity, maybe not an A-list celebrity, though a celebrity nonetheless, but I do wonder whether he genuinely sees himself as more famous than he is.
Why don’t we see him in movies and tv shows anymore? It’s not that he doesn’t have the ability or talent. This is all purely speculation, but I do wonder that maybe, just maybe, he’s declining opportunities based on what opportunities he used to see.
Michael Jordan may have been the greatest to play the game of basketball, but he can’t join the NBA now and be the greatest. His past may qualify him for that title, but his current ability doesn’t reflect that.
I think as Christians we just need to be conscious about these things.
I never want to be too blessed to be stressed blessed.
My Sunday Skl 