The Happy Christian, Chapter 5
The key to avoiding the unhealthy use of the past is not to replace bad nostalgia with good nostalgia. Instead, we must learn to look to the future in hope.
The key to avoiding the unhealthy use of the past is not to replace bad nostalgia with good nostalgia. Instead, we must learn to look to the future in hope.
How many times in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, did Jesus send a prophet to rebuke his people for being hypocrites? And nothing changed in the New Testament, did it? He reserved some of his harshest criticism for religious hypocrites who professed to love God but never showed love to other people.
There are so many different aspects to our salvation, that we can spend the rest of our lives studying them without ever figuring it all out. Subjects such as justification, redemption, victory, reconciliation, atonement, and adoption for instance will occupy years of Bible study and meditation.
We tend to see what we want to see, or at least we find what we are looking for. If we search for errors and mistakes, we are likely to find them. But if we are on the lookout for good news, we will find that which is beautiful and encouraging all around.
Most of us cannot do that much to change our circumstances, but we can definitely learn to think differently and to make choices that will help us to live happier and with greater joy.