When Things Used to be Better
Have you ever heard or used this expression? Let me be the first to admit that I have said, “When things used to be better.”
For the Christian I’m afraid we don’t have any Scripture to back up the “when things used to be better” syndrome.
Proverbs 4:18 says, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” If you will allow me to paraphrase, the verse is saying: “When you become born again, your life is like the light of dawn that will shine more and more brighter and clearer until it reaches its full strength and glory in the perfect day.” Things have got to be better today than yesterday — we’re one day nearer to being in the perfectly conformed image of Christ (II Corinthians 3:18).
When do things look like they’re better in the past than present?
I. When we dwell too much on the pleasant past.
It is spiritually dangerous to live remorseful about the sins that God forgave and covered with Christ’s blood. By the same token the Bible warns in Proverbs 25:27, “It is not good to eat much honey.” Have you ever tasted sweetened iced tea after you’ve eaten a spoonful of ice cream? The formerly delicious iced tea was sweet and refreshing while enjoying it with chicken or potatoes, but after ice cream nothing will be sweet. The memories of the past sometimes become enriched and more glamorous than they were at the time of occurrence. This is not altogether bad, but try to match a pleasant happening today with the pleasant past and it often doesn’t “measure up.”
II. When we lose our vision of tomorrow.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
A person concentrates too much energy on things that cannot be changed when he says, “When things used to be better.” We can affect our future if we never lose sight that tomorrow for God’s people is as bright as the promises of God.
III. When we don’t realize the value of one day.
James 4:14 says, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
The past is already gone, the future is a promissory note not yet spent, but today is here for our use or abuse. We can say, “When things used to be better,” but keep in mind, things will never get better by negative comments, pouting, and discontentment (I Tim. 6:6-8, Heb. 13:5).
- Pastor Pope -