Keep Moving Forward

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Posted by Martha Wilson, March 13, 2024

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18

Once again, most Americans set their clocks forward by one hour this past weekend. Sure, we lost a bit of sleep but gained another hour of sunlight as we moved into the spring and summer months. On the front end, none of us like to give up an hour of sleep, but we welcome the lengthy days of sunshine once our bodies adjust to the change.

Pondering this time change, I flipped forward in my daily Bible reading to the book of Ecclesiastes, where King Solomon gave us some wise instructions about time changes.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,  

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 

a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,  

a time to love and a time to hate,  a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I quickly agree there is a time for everything, yet we don’t always understand or accept the season. Therefore, we ask things like, “What time is it?” “Why is this happening?” “Why do I have to get up? I just want to sleep.”

One secret to living life fully alive is to be fully present in the season God has us.

To cling to one season because it is beautiful, desirable, and comfortable is to miss what is in front of us. Sometimes, we need to spring forward to the next season of life. Now, I am not suggesting that we fast forward past the delightful and fulfilling nor the painful or unwelcome seasons, but instead, I am encouraging you to keep moving forward. God is waiting for you in the next season.

We can settle into a season in such a way that we lose the awareness of God’s nudge to move forward. We are determined to hold on to the extra hour of sleep, instead of embracing the adventure of a new day.

Remembering that others are not necessarily in the same season as I can be very helpful. How can they be dancing while I am mourning? Why are they laughing while I am crying? Why are they planting while I am digging up? We are all at different places in life and need to be gracious with one another.

Even though our mobile phones change automatically, I have a few clocks that must be manually set. Laziness leads me to ignore it for a few days, but it costs me more than a few minutes because I am distracted by constantly making mental adjustments to the time throughout the day. I remember the year we were clueless about how to change the clock in our new car. We looked at the clock for an entire season and said, “It says 10:00, but it is actually 11:00.”

I think I do the same thing when I refuse to move forward into the season God has placed me. We all know far too well that circumstances of life can catapult us into new seasons that we can’t seem to catch up. But there is something about agreeing with God and that it is time for a reset and spring forward.

Today, I am cheering you on. Always keep moving forward into all that God has for you. It’s ok that it takes some time to heal and to adjust but go ahead and step into it. God will catch you up as you surrender to His best plan.

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

Martha Wilson is a writer, speaker, blogger and co-host of A Burst of Hope weekly podcast. She is the founder and director of Touching Hearts Ministries for women. She has led women to pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus for most of her adult life. She is bold, tender, and transparent as she teaches women to embrace powerful Biblical truths. Martha and her husband, Ed, live in Fayetteville, Georgia, and enjoy their blended family of five children, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. You can connect with Martha at: Facebook and Instagram @TouchingHeartsMinistries or listen to the A Burst of Hope Podcast.