The Most Important Question for Tough Times

I have a friend who’s having a hard time letting go.

Actually, I have a number of friends who are in that situation. It is a very tough situation to be in. It’s tough because until you deal with the past, it’s almost impossible to deal with the present. My friend simply can’t deal with the present because he is continually living in the past.

I want to give you the most important question that you can ask in the midst of tough times:

What can I do to make this better?

You can either live in the past or deal with the present. It has been my experience that you can’t do both. Living in the past robs the future. Take Paul, for example. He had ample opportunity to complain about the past or about the kind of treatment that he experienced. He refused to do so. He seemed to ask the question continually: “what can I do to make this better?”

Paul received shameful treatment when he first visited Philippi with the Gospel. In a short amount of time, he encountered a riot, suffered a beating, and was thrown in jail. After finally demanding and receiving an apology, he left town (Acts 16:11-40). Later, he wrote his letter of joy to the Philippians, thanking them for their partnership in the Gospel. He had moved on and seemed to ask what he could do to make this better.

When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he suffered Roman imprisonment because he had faithfully preached the Gospel. In the midst of imprisonment he looked for and found something that made the imprisonment better. He told the church how what had happened to him had actually served to advance the Gospel. His tough time in chains had encouraged others to be faithful no matter what (Phil. 1:12-14).

Could this be where Paul received the wonderful truth that God is at work in the midst of all our troubles? Paul affirmed that God works all things together for good to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Paul looked for the work of God in his life. We should as well.

Later, Paul (in prison) told the Philippians (who were free) to make the present situation better: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation” (Phil. 3:14-15).  Paul asked the question for tough times by saying that though he might be poured out as a sacrifice for Christ, “I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me” (Phil. 3: 17-18). 

Paul determined not to rob the future by living in the past. You and I have the same choice. Henry Ford supposedly said: “Don’t find fault, find a remedy.” The person who lives in the present and lets go of the past will make a better present and future for themselves and the people around them. Of all people, believers in the Lord Jesus should let go of the past and ask: “What can I do to make this better?”

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