--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So look backward and look forward. God’s…" description: "\"“So look backward and look forward. God’s grace enables you to do both, celebrating forgiveness for the past and embracing power for a new and better f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg" --- # So look backward and look forward. God’s grace enables you… ![“So look backward and look forward. God’s grace enables you to do both, celebrating forgiveness for the past and embracing power for a new and better future. Only God’s grace gifts you with peace with your past and hope for your future.” quote by Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg) > ““So look backward and look forward. God’s grace enables you to do both, celebrating forgiveness for the past and embracing power for a new and better future. Only God’s grace gifts you with peace with your past and hope for your future.”” [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grace allows us to reflect on past mistakes while empowering us to move forward with forgiveness and hope for a better future. **In simple terms:** Grace helps us forgive and look forward. Key Takeaway Embrace forgiveness and hope through grace. Themes forgiveness hope grace future reflection Mood peaceful encouraging optimistic Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - spiritual healing - life transitions - conflict resolution - goal setting - overcoming regret Key Concepts Theology psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - What past hurt do you need to forgive? - How can you turn grace into forward momentum? A Different Perspective Grace alone cannot change circumstances; action is also required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-future/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-past-1223537/) [Forward God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward-god-2234838/) [God grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-grace/) [God'S Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace Enables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-enables-3641753/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“God’s grace dethrones you from your little kingdom and welcomes you to a much better kingdom than you could ever want for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/god-s-grace-dethrones-you-from-your-little-kingdom-and-welcomes-you/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [The more you understand the magnitude of God's grace, the more accurate will be your view of the depth of your unrighteousness ; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/the-more-you-understand-the-magnitude-of-god-s-grace-the-more/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“Grace doesn’t free us to live for us. The purpose of God’s grace is not to make your little kingdom of one work better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/grace-doesn-t-free-us-to-live-for-us-the-purpose-of-god-s-grace-is/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“I think we would be shocked if we knew how many homes of parents who love to sing of God’s grace on Sunday completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/i-think-we-would-be-shocked-if-we-knew-how-many-homes-of-parents-who/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“God never goes back; he always moves forward. ... God always wants our future to be bigger than our past, and God always moves forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/god-never-goes-back-he-always-moves-forward-god-always-wants-our/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [I'm just kind of following where He's leading me. And my entire life and career has led me to this point, and what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/i-m-just-kind-of-following-where-he-s-leading-me-and-my-entire-life/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [The only way forward is through God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica/the-only-way-forward-is-through-god/) [Jessica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica/) > [Forward, forward, men! Drive those fellows out of those woods! Forward! For God's sake forward!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-reynolds/forward-forward-men-drive-those-fellows-out-of-those-woods-forward/) [John F. Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-reynolds/) > [The Gospel offers forgiveness for the past, new life for the present, and hope for the future,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sentamu/the-gospel-offers-forgiveness-for-the-past-new-life-for-the-present/) [John Sentamu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sentamu/) > [“Letting Go Of The Past Accepting forgiveness for past mistakes can be hard: for our past mistakes are usually never forgotten, only dealt with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-borthwick/letting-go-of-the-past-accepting-forgiveness-for-past-mistakes-can-be/) [Michael O. Borthwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-borthwick/) > [“He used to believe that to forgive was to allow an offense to go unpunished. Now he finally understood that forgiveness was not about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-thomas/he-used-to-believe-that-to-forgive-was-to-allow-an-offense-to-go/) [Sherry Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-thomas/) > [Forgiving ourselves for all the woulda-shoulda-couldas in life, and sometimes forgiving others for actions that we feel undercut or undermine our good, can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/forgiving-ourselves-for-all-the-woulda-shoulda-couldas-in-life-and/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The longer you've known someone- the more history there is between you- the longer it will take to establish in their mind that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/the-longer-you-ve-known-someone-the-more-history-there-is-between-you/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [“Forgiveness and opening up to more abuse are not the same thing. Forgiveness has to do with the past. Reconciliation and boundaries have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/forgiveness-and-opening-up-to-more-abuse-are-not-the-same-thing/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Forgiveness of the present is even more important than forgiveness of the past. If you forgive every moment - allow it to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/forgiveness-of-the-present-is-even-more-important-than-forgiveness-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More by Paul David Tripp > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“DECEMBER 1 You have one place of hope, security, and rest. It is found in these words: “God is love.” It is something every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/december-1-you-have-one-place-of-hope-security-and-rest-it-is-found/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“Trust is being so convinced that you can rely on the integrity, strength, character, and faithfulness of another that you are willing to place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/trust-is-being-so-convinced-that-you-can-rely-on-the-integrity/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory” (Rev. 19:6–7). On into eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/hallelujah-for-the-lord-our-god-the-almighty-reigns-let-us-rejoice/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“But this book is not a theology of kingdom, nor an exposition of the kingdom passages in the Bible. No, it is simply a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/but-this-book-is-not-a-theology-of-kingdom-nor-an-exposition-of-the/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“Biblical literacy does not dispel all confusion and mystery from your life because while God reveals his will for you in the Bible, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/biblical-literacy-does-not-dispel-all-confusion-and-mystery-from-your/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“Your theology won't always work toward your obedience, because your use of theology is dictated by the condition of your heart. If your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/your-theology-won-t-always-work-toward-your-obedience-because-your/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“In the center of the kingdom of God, you do not find a gargantuan palace inhabited by an unapproachable king. No, in the center…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/in-the-center-of-the-kingdom-of-god-you-do-not-find-a-gargantuan/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“True humanity is always connected to glory, and true glory can only be found in the One who is glory, the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/true-humanity-is-always-connected-to-glory-and-true-glory-can-only-be/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/love-is-willing-self-sacrifice-for-the-good-of-another-that-does-not/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“in every moment when you are parenting, you are being parented. In every moment when you are called to give grace, you are being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/in-every-moment-when-you-are-parenting-you-are-being-parented-in/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Do you require yourself to remember? In order to live as you can and should, you first must remember who you are and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/do-you-require-yourself-to-remember-in-order-to-live-as-you-can-and/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“We are all capable of fighting for what has little value while forgetting things of transcendent value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/we-are-all-capable-of-fighting-for-what-has-little-value-while/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“The bottom line: each of our lives is shaped by the war between the kingdom of god and the kingdom of self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/the-bottom-line-each-of-our-lives-is-shaped-by-the-war-between-the/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“In a fallen world there is a powerful pressure to constrict your life to the shape and size of your life. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/in-a-fallen-world-there-is-a-powerful-pressure-to-constrict-your-life/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) [Explore all 219 Paul David Tripp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) ## More Better future quotes > [“Some women walk towards a better future. Others have chauffeurs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/some-women-walk-towards-a-better-future-others-have-chauffeurs/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [We are a party of innovation. We do not reject our traditions, but we are willing to adapt to changing circumstances, when change we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/we-are-a-party-of-innovation-we-do-not-reject-our-traditions-but-we/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [“Don't be afraid to go left when the world is going right. The French learned that the people have power to make change, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/don-t-be-afraid-to-go-left-when-the-world-is-going-right-the-french/) [Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/) > [“Arise for the work of humankind. Be humble. However grand you are today or may become tomorrow, you too will be forgotten. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-carney/arise-for-the-work-of-humankind-be-humble-however-grand-you-are-today/) [Mark Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-carney/) > [Everything you need for your better future and success has already been written.And guess What? It's all available.All you have to do is go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/everything-you-need-for-your-better-future-and-success-has-already/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [We must not only imagine a better future for women, children, and persecuted minorities; we must work consistently to make it happen - prioritizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-murad/we-must-not-only-imagine-a-better-future-for-women-children-and/) [Nadia Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-murad/) > [“One is too precious about the past, the other too hungry for the future. One arm being dragged into the past by the ethics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winy-maas/one-is-too-precious-about-the-past-the-other-too-hungry-for-the/) [Winy Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winy-maas/) > [“Today, we exaggerate the differences between left-liberal egalitarianism and libertarian individualism because almost everyone shares their common indefinite attitude. In philosophy, politics, and business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-we-exaggerate-the-differences-between-left-liberal/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [I would thank the past for a better future cause pain makes me stronger, tears makes me braver and heartbreak makes me wiser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-thank-the-past-for-a-better-future-cause-pain-makes-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more prepared I am, the better my future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-herrera/the-more-prepared-i-am-the-better-my-future/) [Alfonso Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-herrera/) > [Feminism is, I hope, a way to a better future for everyone who inhabits this world. Feminism should not be something that needs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/feminism-is-i-hope-a-way-to-a-better-future-for-everyone-who-inhabits/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves for their country and, frankly, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-nations-of-the-middle-east-will-have-to-decide-what-kind-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [No one is innocent in the tide of history. Everyone has kings and slaves in his past. Everyone has saints and sinners. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-peterfreund/no-one-is-innocent-in-the-tide-of-history-everyone-has-kings-and/) [Diana Peterfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-peterfreund/) > [I hurt for every mother who's lost a son, every son who's lost a father, and every child whose life was taken far too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mcbath/i-hurt-for-every-mother-who-s-lost-a-son-every-son-who-s-lost-a/) [Lucy McBath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mcbath/) > [Cleaning out the past, packing up the present, and preparing for a much better future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/cleaning-out-the-past-packing-up-the-present-and-preparing-for-a-much/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) [Browse all 382 Better future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So look backward and look forward. God’s grace enables you to do both, celebrating forgiveness for the past and embracing power for a new and better future. Only God’s grace gifts you with peace with your past and hope for your future.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul David Tripp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s-grace-enables-you-to-do-both/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s-grace-enables-you-to-do-both/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/paul-david-tripp-1637_better-future_so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s_1206840.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So look backward and look forward. God’s grace enables you to do both, celebrating forgiveness for the past…” — Paul David Tripp", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul David Tripp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“So look backward and look forward....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s-grace-enables-you-to-do-both/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/so-look-backward-and-look-forward-god-s-grace-enables-you-to-do-both/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```