One of the most powerful lessons the Apostle Paul learned was to let go of the past and move forward. To the Church at Philippi he wrote: "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)
Many people spend their lives dwelling on the past. For some it was a good past and they base their self worth on some success they had when they were younger...in their prime. And for many, it was a disappointing past and they spend their lives dwelling on the failures of their past, whether it was a past hurt, a painful childhood, a loved one they lost. Whatever it was, it robs them of living a life of victory and peace today.
Although Paul was well educated and had a great Jewish upbringing, he became an extremist and a murderer of Christians. At one point, Paul stood by giving his consent to the martyr of Steven who was a deacon in the early church. The truth is that Paul knew he had a horrible past and he did many things he could have spent the rest of his life regretting the things he had done. But he knew how important it was to leave the past in the past so that he could move forward and fulfill the call of God in his life.
How about you? Is there something back there that you dwell on all the time? Is there some failure that you just can't seem to get past? Do you blame your childhood or something someone did to you in your childhood for the failures you are experiencing today? Is there someone who broke your heart and you just can't get over it? Or maybe you lost a loved one to death and you think you just can't go on without them. Well, let me tell you Friend, on your own it is impossible! You don't have the power to put those things in the past and move on. But through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through your life, you can let go and you can move on to do great things in your future. You can forgive, you can heal, you can go on and you can live a great life...and that is what God wants for you. You can't do anything hanging on to the past, but by faith through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life, you don't have to waste another day. Ask God to help you let it go...to forgive...to heal. He has a great plan for you. But before you can ever experience what God wants you to have, you must forget the past and move on to the future. Ask God and He will help you if you let Him.
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