"The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools."
— Ecclesiastes 7:8-9
The word forward means onward so as to make progress; toward a successful conclusion.
When we think about our future, our expectation is that whatever we’re dealing with right now is going to be OK because we’re going to continue to move forward. Our next year will be better, our retirement will be better, escaping from the frustrations of today, no matter what we are going through now.
We can look forward to some wonderful things in your future.
The Bible tells the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. The story talks of how the younger of the two sons decides to request his inheritance early.
And he gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his inheritance with loose living.
After he had spent everything, a famine came on the land and now he was poor.
So he found a job feeding swine and began to desire the food that the pigs were eating just to feed his belly. But he came to his senses and decided to move forward.
He said I will get up and go to my father, and apologize for the way I’ve been living.
When his father saw him moving forward, he felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
A great party was thrown because the father decided to look beyond his past and saw that his son was moving forward in the right direction.
God sees and knows all and he desires to see his people drawing near to him, because whenever we draw closer to God, we’re moving in the right direction.
Our desire should be to hear our Father say "Well done, my good and faithful servant!"
I want to remind you that wherever you are right now, you don’t have to stay there. Choose to move forward.
I don’t care what it looks like, go ahead and tell your friends I’m moving forward.
So, when they see you in the street, question you, or push your buttons, you can let the world know that you are moving forward.
Life is crazy, job is funny, home is hectic, children are challenging, paycheck is painful, but I’m moving forward!
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him"
— 1 Corinthians 2:9.
My promise is right in front of me, so I’m moving forward!
Hayes is pastor of New Day Community Church and the president of the United Ministerial Alliance.