Overcoming Your Past

Millions of people are haunted by their past. They’re filled with regret about opportunities missed, things they’ve said or done, or things they failed to do. In fact, according to a recent Barna Group study, 70 million Americans feel “held back or defined by something in their past.”

Our past can act like a chain around our necks or an anchor that weighs down our soul. If we dwell too long on thoughts of our past, we can feel like a failure. Feeling trapped and stuck in negative circumstances, we can doubt we’ll ever escape and assume nothing ever will change.

But the Bible tells us that God can provide us with complete freedom. The forgiveness He offers is so amazing that our sins are removed “as far as the east is from the west.”

Yet we still need to accept this forgiveness. How? By confessing our sins and accepting the gift of His grace. Then we must declare His Word and put it into practice in our lives. We must become confident that we’ve become “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

To live in victory, we need to believe and accept God’s finished work, then be careful about how we act and what we say. We are told to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). We must not delay or put off this decision, for “the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT).

In your life, don’t be haunted by your past or spend time fretting over missed opportunities. Accept God’s forgiveness for your sins, and don’t allow the devil to have any foothold in your mind. Seek to obey God’s Word. Ask Him to help you live boldly…expectantly…confidently.

Remember: You are forgiven and cleansed. Today is a new day to celebrate your freedom and move forward as a new creation in Christ.