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. – Philippians 3:13, NKJV

You probably have heard this a thousand times before, but I am going to say it again. Leave the past in the past! Unfortunately, it is human nature to dwell on what has happened in the past, whether it is good or bad. Yet, in order to become everything you were meant to be, you have to stop living in the past and move forward.

“Remember the good ol’ days? Things used to be much better then.” Have you ever said this before? Or, “I have had such a rough life. Things have always been so bad for me. My whole life has just been a nightmare.” Better yet, “I used to be so wild. I made many wrong choices. This one time……” You may have said one of these exact phrases, or can relate to one or all. But I am going to tell you something that may shock you. Move on! We cannot change the past or re-write history. What is done is done and you are still here and alive. Everything that has happened to you has molded you into who you are today. Now what will you choose to do with the knowledge the experiences have given you?

Some people have had a wonderful past, while others have had it rough. The ones who have a miserable past usually are the ones who cannot move forward and drag the history of events along with them like a big sack of yuck. Whether their past was hard because of their own choices or terrible things that happened to them, they tend to carry the heavy load and let it weigh them down. They cannot see a bright future and don’t have hope for anything promising. Until the heavy load is somehow removed, the mere thought of moving forward seems to be a daunting task. Many people end up using therapy to help mend whatever damage has been done from the past. Various healthy and unhealthy forms of therapy some people use include: counseling, drugs, medications, alcohol, exercise, etc. Now, while I am not against healthy forms of therapy at all, I feel like sometimes therapy is used as just a “patch” to temporarily feel better about the past (speaking from personal experience.)

At any rate, I won’t get into personal experiences I have been through in efforts to “patch up” my past, so let us move on to a word that has completely changed my life. That word is GRACE. Once I learned what “grace” was, I began to start healing and letting go of the past. Grace by definition is the free and unmerited favor of God. Now, because of this FREE gift given to us, we can now do all things through Christ and can expect to receive blessings and more blessings. The past may be painful, but the future looks bright. When the past is constantly brought up in thoughts or speech, it is difficult to look forward and move ahead. Let it go. Have faith and trust God. When you release the past and give your future to God you’re saying, “God, I trust You. I know You’re in control. And even though it didn’t work out my way (in the past), You said, ‘All things are going to work together for my good.’ So I believe You still have something good in my future.” (Let It Go)

God can do anything. God can do the impossible. He can heal you from cancer, AIDS, or any other disease. God can supernaturally cancel your financial debt. He can restore your relationships, mend your wounds, and make the wrongs made right. God can and will do this for you if you believe. Jesus Christ died for us so that we could live under grace and receive God’s favor. Receive God’s favor He wants to give you!

There is a story in the bible of a woman who had been crippled over for 18 years. All she ever saw for 18 years was the dust on the ground. Can you imagine that? How hopeless would life seem? She had an 18 year past of only being able to look down and never up. (Don’t Be Dust Conscious) Now the end of the story is Jesus healed her and she was able to walk upright. Look at the symbolism of this story. God does not want that heavy load to cripple you and force you to look down. God wants you to give you an amazing life healthy, whole and able to look forward, completely free of any heavy burden.

Let go of the past. Let go of the hurt. Let go of whatever heavy burden that is weighing you down. Use your story to help and inspire others. Stop letting the past hold you back from creating an amazing future. Become everything God meant for you to be. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11, ESV