*YOUR PAST DOESN’T DETERMINE YOUR FUTURE*
Have you ever felt bogged down by your past mistakes?
Do you sometimes have regrets about things that you have done or neglected to do?
Have you had bad things happen to you that were unjustified and unfair?
If yes, I want you to know that you are not alone. Many people carry their past and always keep thinking about their past, due to which they are unable to move forward. But here we will see examples of some biblical heroes who made many mistakes in the past but God used them.Some people think that the heroes of the Bible were perfect people who had it all together. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Consider Abraham: he was called the “father of faithful”, yet he deceived Pharaoh by telling him that his wife, Sarah, was his sister *(Genesis 12:13-19)* On another occasion he told the same lie to king Abimelech. When Abraham doubted God’s ability to give him a son through Sarah, agreed with her plan he went to Sarah’s handmaid Hagar, hoping he could a child through her *(Genesis 16:1-2)
What about Abraham’s grandson Jacob, the deceiver, who stole his brother’s birthright and his blessing but would later be named Israel or the Prince of God *(Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-41)*
And what about David the king of Israel became an adulterer and murderer, yet through repentance found forgiveness and restoration *(2 Samuel 11:1-27; Psalm 51:1-12)*
And what of the Apostle Paul, who persecuted the early church and was complicit in the death of Stephen, but became the Apostle to the Gentiles and wrote a significant part of the New Testament *(Acts 7:54 – 8:1))
Our personal brokenness does not have to stop us from fulfilling God’s wonderful purpose for our lives*Sometimes we think that God can never use me or that I am not good enough for God, but we need to remember that the significant failures of these important individuals do not disqualify them from being used by God.In fact, our brokeness is often what brings us to the end of ourselves and to a place where we finally reach out and depend on God.
Consider *(James 4:6)* “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says *’God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.* When we go through difficult circumstances and are broken, we come to the end of ourselves. we recognize our own weaknesses, our pride is shattered and we come to a place of humility. It is in that place of brokenness that God is able to show His favour. The Apostle Paul wrote in *(2 Corinthians:12:10: “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”* Our personal brokenness does not have to stop us from fulfilling God’s Wonderful purpose for our lives When we go through difficult times- whether it is the pain of abuse, the pain of loss, physical pain, emotional pain, or something else – it often feels like we have been ‘shattered’ we don’t have the strength to put ourselves back together, or to pick up all the pieces. This is the place where we need to turn to the only one who can put us back together- the loving God who created us.
After his affair with Bathsheba, David recognized his wrong and repented. He penned the words in a Psalm and cried out, *”The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Psalm:51: 17 )*
God did not reject David, because David confessed his sin and repented. Similarly, when we repent by confessing our sins, God does not reject us but forgives us.despite our brokenness.
2)You cannot change your past but you can change how you react to it.*No matter what has happened in your past, you can choose how much power over your current life you want to afford it. You cannot change the past, but you can choose how you react to it.Despite the severity or magnitude of your past mistakes, you can choose to look at them differently. Instead of viewing them with constant regret, try to see them as valuable lessons that you can use today. If you have neglected your health, gotten divorced, lied, hurt others, wasted time or a large sum of money, etc, you can come to the realization that you are wiser now for your experiences.
You are not the person that you once used to be and, therefore, do not have to make the same mistakes that you once made.Make the conscious choice to forgive yourself for your past mistakes and constantly remind yourself that you have evolved, matured, and learned from your errors. Accept the fact that you cannot change your past, but you certainly can choose to react differently to it. Remember that your old baggage is only bogging you down and preventing you from moving forward in your life.Contrary to what some people believe, you do not have to continuously punish yourself for past wrongdoings in order to be sorry
If you want to make amends, do so and move on. Become the best person you can be because that empowers you to give back to others and the world at large.As we see about Paul, he was a persecutor of the early church and was complicit in the death of Stephen and when he encountered the Lord Jesus Christ, his life changed. He was not worried about his past but was focused on his future his goal. As we see in the bible verse *Pill: 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.*Paul Focused on his future thats why he became Apostle to the Gentiles and wrote a significant part of the New Testament.
What if you chose to look at your past differently? How does that relate to your current life? *◇You can succeed in business even if you have failed before*Don’t let failure discourage you from trying or pursuing the right goals. You can succeed where you have failed before. Work and pray.
*Micah7:8 says, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me”*
You may have fallen but you can rise again; you can still succeed.*“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity” Pro 24:16* Don’t lose hope. Your failure will yet turn into success.*◇ You can enjoy a happy relationship even if you made mistakes in a previous one.**Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”*The Bible says the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and heals the brokenhearted. So, not only will God provide comfort as you move on from a past relationship, but He’ll actually help you do it. God will help you heal from the wounds caused by the relationship and move forward in life and love. *
Psalms 30:11-12 You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing. No longer am I sad and wearing sackcloth. I thank you from my heart, and I will never stop singing your praises, my LORD and my God.**You can learn to trust again even though others have betrayed you*Rebuilding broken trust is a process that takes time and a committed effort to restore.Drawing from his own experiences of betrayal, David, in Psalm 41:9, understood the pain of being let down by those close to him. Despite the hurt, he chose not to become bitter or view everyone as untrustworthy. Instead, he embraced a fundamental truth: people, being sinful, will fail us, but unwavering trust can always be placed in God.Your past, no matter how bad it was, does not define your future. No matter how broken you are, the encouraging news is that God can use broken people. The choices and actions you make today will ultimately define who you will eventually become. Make the decision to learn from your past and apply it in the present so that you can live the life that you were meant to live. You deserve it!
*PRAYER**
Father God, We Praise You today for all of the good things in Our life. You truly are a good God. And, Lord, We ask You to take away all of the hurts from Our past and replace them with your healing love. We receive that healing today. Help Us to forgive those who have hurt Us as only You can. In the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.
*Sol. Laxmi K