Don’t Live in the Past – Ready, Set, Go!

Most people make mistakes when they chose to live in the past. The past is one baggage we cannot lug along each day of our lives. In fact, it robs us of both the present and the future. If we want to be conquerors of our past and feel the beauty of life and ultimately live a victorious life in the midst of crises, there are three things we need to master:

1. Recognize the past for what it is – past, over, ended, finished, gone, and done. Forgetting what lies behind is what we need to do. Forgetting does not mean completely being rid of the memory. What it really means is to no longer be influenced or affected by the past. Simply put, forgetting is to break the power of the past by living for the future.
2. Recognize that it’s the devil’s strategy to discourage or defeat us and ultimately rob us of joy. Who among us becomes joyful, peaceful, and productive by continuously living in the past? Truth is, living in the past disrupts our regular schedules and make us unproductive throughout the day. Imagine the negative effects in our present and future lives if we will continue living and dwelling in the past for years!
3. Recognize that although we cannot alter the past, we have the power to change the way we respond to it. Nobody can change the past because it’s already gone. It’s the present that we need to live and examine. Making mistakes in the past such as hurting our love ones or doing wrong to other people around us, then not having anymore chance  to fix the broken relationships after realizing the mistakes done is really a joy and life robber scenario. It could give us negative feelings about ourselves which if not dealt properly could lead to lost opportunities and could even destroy us. The right way to respond is not to dwell with it; instead, let us persevere to live a lifestyle of love. Let us intensify our love for God, love for our family, and love for others.

Remembering people who have hurt us in the past can be considered one thing that locks many of us to the past. Forgiving that hurts and offenses inflicted on us by people will set us free from the past. Let’s take Paul as an example. If Paul never forgave himself for his past as a persecutor of Christians, he probably wouldn’t have known what it’s like to have joy in the company of trials. His writings and exhortations, calling us to rejoice always would not have been written. And he probably wouldn’t have the courage to become a pioneer missionary, preaching the gospel in places where it had never been heard before. His missionary works had sparked a spiritual revival in the early church.

Friends, we can make the same choice Paul made. Our choice to forget the past and move forward will usher us to a victorious life. As we move forward, let us first reach forward to know Christ in a personal way by reading the Bible. It will get us set in the right direction.