Today is only one day from being the past... look forward to tomorrow. Looking back at yesterday too much will only hinder your tomorrow. If you can never get "past the past,"
tomorrow will never be tomorrow, you will just keep reliving yesterday. In Philippians 3:13 Paul wrote in his letter to Jesus' followers, 'But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward, in Christ Jesus.' If we could just break away from our yesterdays our tomorrows could be so amazing.
People and situations from our past just seem to have a way of coming up again and again. Ask yourself why?
Is it Love? Hatred? Happiness? Sadness? pain? Why? Sometimes, pondering the past can be a good thing, it
is always said that hindsight is 20/20, and it truly is. You just canít dwell in it. Look at it, learn from it, let it go,
and look forward. If God can forgive you the past, why can't you? You really should just move on with this
realization: Your life does not need to be this way. If you trust in God, to lead you forward, you will never have to look behind you again.
Our lives were meant to be lived to glorify God. Not to be reviewed time and time again by satan. Satan will
use every decision that you have ever made that lacked judgment, all of your anger, your deepest fears, and every second of your past to keep you in his grip. If you just have the courage to look to God, to ask him to forgive you and to deliver you from it, he will. You can always trust him; he will not let you down. Jesus tells you in John 14:1 that you should 'trust in God, and trust also in me.' God is good, he is faithful, and he will never break a promise. You are assured his forgiveness in 1 John 1:9: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.' To be purified from all unrighteousness, to have the slate wiped clean... the sins of the past made irrelevant to your future. Incredible!
So many times, we ask God for forgiveness, and he grants our prayers giving us peace, and new found joy...
yet we still hold on. We can't let go of it... He washes it away, but we cling to it like a life preserver. It's familiar, it feels safe. You know that place... but, it's not safe to be in the middle of the ocean clinging to a life preserver, just barely hanging on, with sharks circling, getting closer and closer, just waiting to attack now is it? You are not safe there! It's just a disaster waiting to happen! Yet, you know how you feel, and what you need to do to just get through the day. Let God be your life preserver, God can give you so much more than just a way to get through the day. He can give you a new life. He can make you a completely new person. The past can be resolved, and you can have a fresh start! When God takes control, when he starts giving you guidance, you may not always like what he has to say, but you will have him by your side for every step you take. You are promised this in Joshua 1:9: 'Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever
you go.'
He will provide you with wisdom and guidance. 'The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs
in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring
whose waters never fail.î (Isaiah 58:11) He will provide you with guidance... but will you obey him? Or will
you talk yourself out of hearing what he has to say to you... thatís crazy! I could never do that on my
own.... It's impossible! Good news! You don't have to do it on your own, and it's not crazy or impossible...
Be assured that God is of sound mind, and you won't be doing it yourself. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells you to 'trust
in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.' God will find a way to enable you to do his will. So often it will be
so far outside of your comfort zone that it seems impossible, but itís not. With God, impossibility does not
exist. He doesn't just say 'do it,' and then walk away. He will never leave you. He will always be there with
continual guidance and encouragement.
However, Jesus does not offer you a free pass from struggles, but he does give assurance that you will find
a way to get through your struggles. Nothing is so horrible that God canít bring you through it. 'Through
whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope
of the Glory of God. Not only so but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope.' (Romans 5:2-4) He wonít just bring you through it either, he will make tons of good out of every ounce of your pain. He will bring you unimaginable hope, in the most painful moment imaginable. You just need to have a little faith... Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 ìI tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.î That is really all it takes, just a little faith... a little faith goes a long way when your faith is in Jesus Christ, the Lord and savior.
