What's Next
In the television series The West Wing, fictional president Josiah Bartlet regularly ended staff meetings with two words—“What’s next?” It was his way of signaling that he was finished with one issue and ready to move forward onto other concerns. The pressures and responsibilities of life in the White House demanded that he not focus on what was in the rear-view mirror—he needed to keep his eyes ahead, moving forward to what was next. (Our Daily Bread)
The past holds many truths, revelations, experiences, tragedy and joys and there is value in ‘what was’, but our focus in life cannot be on what is behind. Much in the same way that you would never get in your car, put it into drive and then turn around to watch the road sail past behind you. We cannot stop the progressive nature of this life to move forward—it is marching ahead with or without your attention. This is why I find Paul’s testimony here in Philippians 3 so encouraging – He basically says, look, I haven’t mastered this yet but this is what I’m striving to do: stop focusing on what ‘has been’ and strain, or make an EXTREME EFFORT to look, see and then to move in a future/forward direction. Forward is where God is going, and my eyes are fixed on Him. Paul learned that it wasn’t so much about the ‘what had been’ but rather that it was all about the ‘what’s next!’.
There are many days of uncertainly ahead for all of us, but if God is for us then who can be against us? Keep your eyes fixed on him, your focus set on His direction, and He will guide your paths! Stay flexible, stay committed, stay positive and he will show you ‘what’s next!’
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