Should we Obsess on the Past (Ecclesiastes 7:10 & Luke 9:62)

[AlexB23]

Hello folks. This analysis is about not dwelling on the past, as we must focus on the present as stated in the Bible.

Date​	May 21, 2024 | Reminiscing on the Past​
Verse​	Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NIV): "Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions." Luke 9:62 (NIV): "Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’"​
Explanation​	Ecclesiastes 7:10 is a passage from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon. In this passage, Solomon is cautioning against the futility of dwelling on the past and lamenting about how things used to be. He is emphasizing the importance of focusing on the present and finding meaning and joy in the here and now. The wisdom in this passage is that looking back with longing or regret does not help us live our current lives to the fullest. It is natural for humans to romanticize the past, but it is not productive or wise to dwell on it. ​ Luke 9:62 is a passage from the New Testament book of Luke, where Jesus is speaking to a potential follower who wants to go back and say goodbye to his family before following him. Jesus' response is a call to be fully committed to the present moment and to the call of the kingdom of God. He emphasizes the importance of putting our hands to the plow and looking forward, rather than looking back. This passage is a reminder that as Christians, we are called to live fully in the present and not be distracted or held back by the past. Both of these passages highlight the importance of living in the present and not being shackled by the past. It is natural for humans to have nostalgic feelings about the past, or to regret past mistakes, but these feelings can become a burden if we allow them to consume us.
Societal Relevance​	In the modern world, it can be easy to get caught up in thoughts about how things were better in the past, or to be distracted by the past mistakes of ourselves or others. To avoid this, it can be helpful to focus on the present moment and find joy and gratitude in the current experiences and relationships in our lives. One way to do this is to practice presence in the moment. This can involve prayer, or engaging fully in simple activities like taking a walk or doing a hobby. It can also involve setting aside time each day to reflect on the present and the blessings in our lives, rather than dwelling on the past. Another way to focus on the present and free ourselves of the burden of past mistakes is to practice forgiveness and self-compassion. This can involve extending forgiveness to others who have wronged us, as well as forgiving ourselves for our own mistakes, after asking Jesus to forgive us. It can also involve engaging in recreational activities that bring us joy and relaxation, or seeking out support from friends, a pastor/priest or a therapist. By focusing on the present and practicing forgiveness and self-compassion, we can free ourselves of the shackles of the past and live more fully in the present moment, through the power of Christ. For myself, it can be difficult to reconcile the past with the present. The 2000s up through the mid-2010s (2016) seemed to be the best times, as entertainment had less violence and minimal to no woke messages, the political divide was narrow, and people were not on social media as much compared to today. In fact, most of my favorite media is from the mid-20th century up through the end of last decade. Also, sometimes, dwelling on past mistakes can happen for me. Luckily, this rarely happens nowadays, as I know that Jesus forgives us of our sins. The moral of this Bible analysis is to focus on the present day, and not worry about the past.

 

[jacks]

I think it is good not to over dwell on the past; not to forget it completely but to let it go. It's hard to live in the moment, if it is not the past that is distracting us, it's the future.

 

[AlexB23]

I think it is good not to over dwell on the past; not to forget it completely but to let it go. It's hard to live in the moment, if it is not the past that is distracting us, it's the future.

Agreed. The past offers us learning experiences, to improve in our faith journey. Looks like sometime this week, there might be a companion analysis, focused on not worrying about the future, though it might overlap a bit with this one: Three passages on anxiety: Matthew 6:25-34, Isaiah 41:10 and Psalm 46:1-2

 

[Bobber]

A very good topic. I've thought upon this often. How easily it can be to think back at other eras of time and somehow have a desire to be there. There was a Twilight Zone episode called "Walking Distance" . It's about man in his mid thirties one Martin Slone who leaves his car at a gas station and walks one mile to his home town he'd never been back to for 25 years. He discovers to his amazement it's the town he grew up in that many years before with people he knew that had died and he sees himself as a little boy. He had went back in time. He went to his parents home who didn't believe him at first but his father tracked him down when he started to believe he was right. It's quite an emotional episode and makes one ponder about life. He goes back to his own time at the encouraging of his father to do so who tells him to look for the good in his time...and to look ahead....not behind.

 

[Strong in Him]

The title of the thread is "reminiscing on the past".
And reminiscing - saying "do you remember when - is not wrong at all.
The church at Ephesus were told that they had forsaken their first love, that they should consider how far they had fallen and return.

Some people may remember childhood dreams, and want to do something about them. Others may have tried to keep secrets hidden, will bring them into the open and find healing.

 

[AlexB23]

The title of the thread is "reminiscing on the past".
And reminiscing - saying "do you remember when - is not wrong at all.
The church at Ephesus were told that they had forsaken their first love, that they should consider how far they had fallen and return.

Some people may remember childhood dreams, and want to do something about them. Others may have tried to keep secrets hidden, will bring them into the open and find healing.

I will have to change the title

 

[Strong in Him]

Ah, ok.

Should we Obsess on the Past (Ecclesiastes 7:10 & Luke 9:62)​

No.
We can't change it and it's not healthy.

 

[AlexB23]

Ah, ok.

No.
We can't change it and it's not healthy.

Agreed.

 

[Teresa W.]

Hello folks. This analysis is about not dwelling on the past, as we must focus on the present as stated in the Bible.

Date​	May 21, 2024 | Reminiscing on the Past​
Verse​	Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NIV): "Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions." Luke 9:62 (NIV): "Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’"​
Explanation​	Ecclesiastes 7:10 is a passage from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon. In this passage, Solomon is cautioning against the futility of dwelling on the past and lamenting about how things used to be. He is emphasizing the importance of focusing on the present and finding meaning and joy in the here and now. The wisdom in this passage is that looking back with longing or regret does not help us live our current lives to the fullest. It is natural for humans to romanticize the past, but it is not productive or wise to dwell on it.​ Luke 9:62 is a passage from the New Testament book of Luke, where Jesus is speaking to a potential follower who wants to go back and say goodbye to his family before following him. Jesus' response is a call to be fully committed to the present moment and to the call of the kingdom of God. He emphasizes the importance of putting our hands to the plow and looking forward, rather than looking back. This passage is a reminder that as Christians, we are called to live fully in the present and not be distracted or held back by the past. Both of these passages highlight the importance of living in the present and not being shackled by the past. It is natural for humans to have nostalgic feelings about the past, or to regret past mistakes, but these feelings can become a burden if we allow them to consume us.
Societal Relevance​	In the modern world, it can be easy to get caught up in thoughts about how things were better in the past, or to be distracted by the past mistakes of ourselves or others. To avoid this, it can be helpful to focus on the present moment and find joy and gratitude in the current experiences and relationships in our lives. One way to do this is to practice presence in the moment. This can involve prayer, or engaging fully in simple activities like taking a walk or doing a hobby. It can also involve setting aside time each day to reflect on the present and the blessings in our lives, rather than dwelling on the past. Another way to focus on the present and free ourselves of the burden of past mistakes is to practice forgiveness and self-compassion. This can involve extending forgiveness to others who have wronged us, as well as forgiving ourselves for our own mistakes, after asking Jesus to forgive us. It can also involve engaging in recreational activities that bring us joy and relaxation, or seeking out support from friends, a pastor/priest or a therapist. By focusing on the present and practicing forgiveness and self-compassion, we can free ourselves of the shackles of the past and live more fully in the present moment, through the power of Christ. For myself, it can be difficult to reconcile the past with the present. The 2000s up through the mid-2010s (2016) seemed to be the best times, as entertainment had less violence and minimal to no woke messages, the political divide was narrow, and people were not on social media as much compared to today. In fact, most of my favorite media is from the mid-20th century up through the end of last decade. Also, sometimes, dwelling on past mistakes can happen for me. Luckily, this rarely happens nowadays, as I know that Jesus forgives us of our sins. The moral of this Bible analysis is to focus on the present day, and not worry about the past.

Thank you for this analysis. I'm doing a personal study on worry, anxiety and stress. But I'm starting with a study on fear because it's the basis of our worries. Then I will study on worry and anxiety and finally stress, because it's those first three things that cause us stress. Stress can make us so sick, physically. And there are aspects of fighting stress that go beyond studying scripture, praying and being mindful; like eating better and exercising.

But my mind was focusing on worrying about the now and the future. I hadn't really considered that I might be worrying or ruminating on the past instead of letting things go. So I appreciate you mentioning it.

 

[AlexB23]

Thank you for this analysis. I'm doing a personal study on worry, anxiety and stress. But I'm starting with a study on fear because it's the basis of our worries. Then I will study on worry and anxiety and finally stress, because it's those first three things that cause us stress. Stress can make us so sick, physically. And there are aspects of fighting stress that go beyond studying scripture, praying and being mindful; like eating better and exercising.

But my mind was focusing on worrying about the now and the future. I hadn't really considered that I might be worrying or ruminating on the past instead of letting things go. So I appreciate you mentioning it.

You are welcome. I hope this devotional has helped you not worry about the past. Let us focus on each and every day.

 

[RDKirk]

"The past is in our heads, the future is in our hands."

 

[AlexB23]

"The past is in our heads, the future is in our hands."

Ooh, that is a good one.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Presuming that we have already repented.

 

[AlexB23]

Presuming that we have already repented.

Agreed.