Forward is one of my favorite words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On September 7, 2019, a television sports commentator said\nthis about the University of Tennessee\u2019s quarterback Jarrett Guarantino during\nthe Brigham Young University game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s over-analytical and he dwells on the previous play. He\ncannot allow himself to get into that funk. He\u2019s gotta move forward and worry\nabout what he can control. And that is the very next play.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is this a message worth remembering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That young athlete\u2014all six-feet-four, 213 pounds of him\u2014is\nan imposing figure on the football field. I\u2019d suggest getting out of his way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But his size and strength don\u2019t guarantee success. There\u2019s\nthis mental thing going on\u2014and he\u2019s in control of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve walked with the Lord for many years and watched him do amazing things. But this doesn\u2019t guarantee continued success. There\u2019s this mental thing going on\u2014and I\u2019m in control of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve walked with the Lord for many years and watched him do amazing things. But this doesn\u2019t guarantee continued success. There\u2019s this mental thing going on\u2014and I\u2019m in control of it. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n I fight the tendency to be over-analytical, dwelling on the\nprevious play, tripping over a tangle of regret and a truckload of what-ifs.\nYou, too?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Listen up! We can\u2019t allow ourselves to get into that funk.\nWe\u2019ve gotta move forward and worry about what we can<\/em> control\u2014the very next play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thesaurus amplifies funk<\/em>:\nbad temper, bad humor, bad mood. We know all about that, don\u2019t we? Even a small\nmess-up can send us sputtering in this bad place. Just can\u2019t get over it. Just\ncan\u2019t put it out of mind. Just can\u2019t shake its hold and move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That brings us to that awesome word forward<\/em>. It means to advance, to move ahead. That\u2019s the direction I\nwant to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many times in my prayer journal I\u2019ve written forward<\/em> on January 1. That\u2019s\nprogress\u2014for someone who is so prone to keep looking behind. In my cherished\ndaily devotional Streams in the Desert<\/em>,\nI\u2019ve highlighted references to forward<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnly be careful to obey His least prohibition; and where,\nafter believing prayer, there are no apparent hindrances, go forward with\nenlarged heart\u201d (Jan. 10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust as the wise sailor can use a head wind to carry him\nforward by tacking and taking advantage of its impelling force; so it is\npossible for us in our spiritual life through the victorious grace of God to\nturn to account the things that seem most unfriendly and unfavorable, and to be\nable to say continually, \u2018The things that were against me have happened to the\nfurtherance of the Gospel\u2019\u201d (Jan. 13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe fail many times to receive the blessing He has ready for\nus, because we do not go forward with Him. While we miss much good through not\nwaiting for God, we also miss much through over-waiting<\/em>.\nThere are times when we are to go forward with a firm step. There are many\nDivine promises which are conditions upon the beginning of some action on our\npart. When we begin to obey, God will begin to bless us\u201d (Jan. 26).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe must learn to take God at His Word, and go straight on\nin duty, although we see no way in which we can go forward. The reason we are\nso often balked by difficulties is that we expect to see them removed before we\ntry to pass through them. If we would move straight on in faith, the path would\nbe opened for us. We stand still, waiting for the obstacle to be removed, when\nwe ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles\u201d (Feb. 11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many more inspiring passages that through the\nyears have encouraged me to keep moving forward, despite difficulty and\ndisappointment, believing God is working and ultimately will bring me to a\nspacious place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you looking for a good word for the new year? How about forward<\/em>? This is no time to turn around and go back. And it\u2019s no time to stand in place. It\u2019s time to move. What are you waiting for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you looking for a good word for the new year? How about forward? This is no time to turn around and go back. And it\u2019s no time to stand in place. It\u2019s time to move. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Get on your cleats and come with me, \u201cforgetting those\nthings which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.\nI press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ\nJesus\u201d (see Philippians 3:13-14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Forward to the next play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Forward is one of my favorite words. On September 7, 2019, a television sports commentator said this about the University of Tennessee\u2019s quarterback Jarrett Guarantino during the Brigham Young University game. \u201cHe\u2019s over-analytical and he dwells on the previous play. He cannot allow himself to get into that funk. He\u2019s gotta move forward and worry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,463,461,438,248,121,464],"class_list":["post-1217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-dianne-barker","tag-forgetting-the-past","tag-forward-a-good-word-for-a-new-year","tag-living-the-maximum-life","tag-philippians-313","tag-regret","tag-tennessee-vols-football"],"yoast_head":"\n