Forward
There’s a call in Scripture that is both simple and challenging: Keep moving forward.
“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 43:18-19 (NIV)
God is always at work. He’s making a way where there seems to be no way, creating streams in dry and desolate places. But if we are constantly looking back, we miss what He’s doing right in front of us.
Forward movement requires trust.
It requires letting go of what was—failures, regrets, even past successes—and choosing to believe that God is still writing your story.
“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:14 (NIV)
The path forward isn’t wide or easy. It’s narrow, intentional, and set apart. It requires focus, surrender, and the daily decisions to follow Jesus, even when other paths seem easier. But it is the only road that leads to life.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 (NIV)
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)
Where your mind goes, your life follows.
If your focus is constantly pulled back to the past—or down into fear, comparison, or distraction, it becomes almost impossible to move forward with clarity and purpose. But when your eyes are fixed on Jesus, on who He is, what He has done, and where He is leading, you find strength to keep going. He is both the beginning and the end of your faith. The One who started the work in you is the One who will carry it through.
“I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles.The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry;” Psalm 34:1-15 (NIV)
Praise keeps your heart aligned when circumstances try to pull you off course. It reminds you of who God is—faithful, present, and good.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV)
The narrow road was never meant to be walked in isolation.
As we move forward, we are called to love, to honor, and to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5). To reflect His character not just in our private faith, but in our relationships.
Think of your faith like a trail. There is a trailhead, a starting point where you first said yes. There is a path, sometimes clear, sometimes difficult. There are markers: God’s Word, His Spirit, His guidance, keeping you aligned. There is a gate that is narrow, intentional, leading to life.
God is still leading, still speaking, still making a way.
Set your mind.
Fix your eyes.
Stay on the path.
And keep moving forward.
