What is so important about what I was if I am a transformed creature now by the hand of God’s transformation?  I don’t know my friend, let us investigate that question.  If what I was were something for which I have established nostalgia or pride, perhaps confidence of youth and exuberance, then the memories of such will continue to pique at my curiosity, reminding me of a different way to think. If the old me reminds of pain, heart ache or exceptional regret then I may refrain from past contemplation.  If my past is mundane, innocuous, nothing spectacular I may never give it a moments thought.  Well, that review is all fine and good but what does that have to do with my initial question?

Okay, fair enough, but take a breath and let me see if I can piece this together into something resembling something that will fulfill inquiry.  If you loved your past, do you repent of what you’ve done, or do you perceive that nothing ill was perpetrated?  Are you reminiscent of the old you, perhaps to the point of struggle with who you’ve become, reflecting currently on past reward or trophy in comparison to what God has duly promised as slave to righteousness?  Does being called a slave make you squirm a bit? Did you come to Christ in sacrifice or humility or did one day seem like the previous one, it’s just now you call yourself a Christian?  I mean have you seen a transformation?

If you come from painful past, you understand the relief that came with salvation?  Have you let go of your past or do you continue to use it in conversation to produce sympathy with bystanders or has Christ healed those wounds and you now truly feel the result of having been made into someone whole? What then of your pain do you ignore it, forget it, try and avoid the conversation or does the pain of your past become an asset through which you may console those you meet in like need?  What happens when you try and stand up for the things you’ve been commanded of Christ?  Do you still fall pray to the things that world says of you to the point where you are inhibited, stopped or paralyzed by revisited fearfulness?

If you had a mundane past do you understand the gravity of what has occurred?  Are you telling everyone about Christ as the greatest joy you’ve ever known or is it perhaps just another day?  What about that smile on your face, is it fed by the free given joy of the Lord, empowering you to motivate others to seek Christ?  If mundane did you perhaps overlook the gifts that you had in the past and if so, how now do you view the abundance that is provided through relationship with Christ?  Do you feel your cup overflowing or is your perspective still one of nothing unusual happens to you?

Look we may have left our past behind, or carry it as a badge or honor or try really hard to forget all that occurred, but try as we like the past is part of who we are now and who we shall become, because it is the foundation, frame of reference for our comparison against the transformation God promised.  If you don’t remember where you were how can you make a comparison for perspective purposes to where you’ve been brought by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Christ?  We ought to be overjoyed at our current position, based upon our cleansing, transformation, filling of the Holy Spirit and progressive resemblance to Christ.  If not then why not?

As to now, we have to see progress in our lives even if we are facing trials, tribulation, enemy assault or growth.  Yes, now may be harder to see than anything because it is held with respect to our judgment of the circumstances in which we currently stand.  Are they bad or good circumstances?  Well that is purely perspective, they may be both, neither or none of the above.  Perhaps they are just the things that God has planned for us to go through in our journey to prepare to be with Him?  Some may be difficult, unpleasing, uncomfortable or difficult and others may be fulfilling, joyful, rewarding and pleasing, but whether they are bad or good is a judgment.  Oh and I thought judgment is the Lord’s job, so perhaps we can just live today with a focus toward simply the enrichment of living it.

An to the future, the future is the basis of hope and faith.  For those are the concepts fed by belief in the ability of God to transform our personage our perspective and yes our circumstances to something resembling victory for the Kingdom and the reward in the Joy of Living.  We look to the future based on our perspective confident that it will provide challenges, difficulties, love, trials, mercies and abundance in our knowledge that Christ told us that we are His ambassadors here until He returns for us.  Does that give you joy, it ought to?

So does that answer suffice?  Do you see why where I was, where I am and where I believe that I am going are all important in my Christian Perspective?  If not, let me know and I will ask the Holy Spirit to tell you and ask forgiveness that I ever used my own words in the first place.  Be blessed in all the things of Almighty God through Christ Jesus.  Amen.