Past. Present. Future.

It's easy - in any area of life, but particularly at church - to let the past dictate future responses.

"No, we can't do that because we've always done it this way."

"No, we don't go to church because we went once [or twice or...] and it wasn't a good experience. So we just worship God from home."

"No, none of the other churches in the area have ever done anything like that, so it probably isn't wise for us to try either."

"Yes, I know her, but she flaked out on a volunteer commitment before, so I'm not going to even respond to her email expressing interest in serving again. She won't follow through."

"Last time I approached that mom, she blew me off rudely. I'll just focus on the more responsive parents."

"We had one of those autistic kids come to our church before. It was too hard to have him in class."

"Every church we've visited doesn't seem to know what to do with the needs of our family. It's just not worth it." 

"There's no point in bothering with families with special needs at our church. They've never stayed for long in the past, so we should focus our efforts in an area in which we can have better results."

Yes, some of those statements are hard to swallow, but I've heard variations of each one. But look back to the image above: Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

And, as far as future worries go, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (That would be Matthew 6:34.)

And concerning anxiety for yesterday, today, or tomorrow, how about this one? "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (That one is Philippians 4:6-7.)

Learn from the past. Live in the present. Dream and plan for the future. Don't sacrifice one for the other, and don't let anxiety creep into any of them. 

And recognize, worship, and follow the Author of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Find comfort in the truth of Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  

Amen.