If you could only go back now................

What if you could some how look into the future and see what would be if you continued along the same path you're on right now as it relates to the relationships in your life? What if you could use a virtual tool that would let you see what would have been the outcome if you would have only made a different decision at the time or maybe just tried a little harder? As a Pastor I've had the opportunity to speak to many people from all walks of life about all kinds of issues in their lives and what I've come to  learn is that the worst of all emotions is regret. We look back with deep hurtful feelings and ask ourselves, what if?

What if I would have just tried one more time? What if I would have just stopped that behavior when he or she needed me too? What if I would have been just a little more concerned about others as opposed to making everything about me, and having things my way? What if I would taken the initiative to apologize first or even at all just one time? What if I had not gone with him or her that night? What if I would have just gone home when I knew I should have? What if I would have simply asked for help from the dozens of people who were trying to give it to me? What if I would have sat down with him or her and owned who I was and what I had done and asked them to forgive me? What if I would have been honest and done the right thing?

The "what if's" can go on forever and ever without end can't they? As I made the list I couldn't help but see many of my own mistakes woven within the words that I have written, possibly you did also. The real question comes down to this, if you had it to do all over again, what would you do differently knowing what you know now? I think it's the greatest rear view question any of us could possibly ask ourselves. I have developed a graph of sorts that if you will apply a little heart and vision you could ask yourself that very question now before you have to look at the past for the answer. The graph asks the question based on a timeline that works like a sliding scale. Look at your current situation and then in your mind slide the scale to the right and allow your situation to overlay the future situation several months from now and ask yourself honestly, if I continue the way I'm going right now, in the months to follow where will this end?

   (      Now     )                              (     Then     )

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Sliding Time Line Life Scale

When you look at this sliding scale can you envision the future? How does it look to you right now based on the information that you have to work with? If you can just look into the future just a little bit and then turn around and look back, do you see yourself asking any of those questions  that began with What if? Now's the time to do it.

Looking to the Future..................