Most of us have decades of experience remembering the past--especially the negatives. However, I have some good news:  With the LORD's help, you can do a paradigm shift and train yourself to "remember the future," which is a lot more productive and fun than remembering the past!

¹⁸ Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.  ¹⁹ Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.--Isaiah 43:18-19, AMPC

No matter what has happened, or didn't that should have, the LORD is bigger than all of that! There is nothing too hard for Him, and, as one beloved apostle stated, "You can't change God's mind about you!" 

His plans are good, and only good (Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10).

¹⁰ For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].for He is only good and all good!--Ephesians 2:10, AMPC

He is good, and only good! 

⁵ And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].--I John 1:5, AMPC

As a dear pastor stated, if God didn't love us and want to help us, He would have just done--nothing. He would never have sent Jesus to die on the cross and rise again, to pay for our sins and cleanse and restore us! 

⁸ But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.--Romans 5:8, AMPC

So what does all of this have to do with "remembering the future?" 

Here's the deal: If you remember the past--especially the negatives--it will steal from you. (Ask me how I know!) It will cripple and dilute and can even remove your true identity in Christ, which includes dreaming and planning for the future.  Remembering the past junk of your life can dilute and even steal your energy, leading to depression. Depression can lead to worse things, even death. 

But (to start a sentence with a conjunction), God is Life. He is Zoe--abundant Life (John 10:10), or "life as God has it." His Plan for you is days of Heaven on earth (Deut. 11:18-21), which comes from meditating (thinking about) His Word, doing it, and teaching it to our children.

Most parents and/or teachers and other authority figures don't like to listen to whining, bickering, complaining, ungrateful children. Neither does God! He is the One from Whom all good things in our lives come, so by remembering none of the past--except the good things He's done!--and focusing on the future, knowing He will do even greater things for us (Jeremiah 33:3; John 1:16; John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20). 

He is your loving Father and Best Friend when you have truly received Jesus, His Son, as your Savior and LORD.  (If you haven't, what are you waiting for? It just gets better once you receive Him, for so many reasons, although a perfectly smooth life is never promised.)

He loves us and, like any good Father, gives us specific directions for how to have the best life. One of His commands is to "set our minds on things above," which means good things; positive things; thing that cause us to forget the negatives and rejoice and be thankful; to look toward the glorious future!

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! ⁵ For the Lord is good; His mercy and  loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.--Psalm 100, AMPC

The LORD Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the King of kings and the LORD of lords, will very soon return to earth to gather us His own who truly believe in Him, and take us to Heaven with Him forever! Hallelujah! 

Till then, live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). 

Remember the future! 

12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.--Revelation 22:12, Berean Study Bible

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.