There has been a lot of attention in the news, this past week or so, about people who have messed-up, been falsely accused or that have a past. Sometime ago Mel Gibson was caught driving under the influence and made racists comments; now Don Imus made a racists comment; the Duke Lacrosse players were falsely accused of a crime and Richard Jewell was falsely accused of a planting the bomb at the ‘96 Olympic Games.
Just to mention the names Bill Clinton, Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart and most can name their graven mistakes.The fact is, we know of all those people because the media made them famous. But what if our past mistakes or innocent accusations were highlighted and made public. We ALL have a past. Some are filled with the proverbial “Skeletons” and others are filled with betrayal and hurt. So if everyone has these clouds of the past that way over our heads, how do we learn to get over it and start living again? EASIER SAID THAN DONE! There is not one blanket statement for everyone, however, time seems to be the common factor with anyone’s past. People eventually forget or forgive to a certain degree. But there are two things we all can apply in order to “Live Past Our Past”.
- First, we must want to start fresh. It is very easy to rehash the past. I know many would say they just want to forget the past, but if the hurt is due to what someone else did to you, you will usually revisit the event to find their faults, get people rallied around you and to stay angry. The anger helps to justify your anger. If it was a mistake you made, then you will try to find the problem with others to justify your wrong. Soooo, you must start fresh and let the past be past. Until you decide to be future minded and make it a better tomorrow, you will never live past your past.
- Second, you must learn to forgive. You must forgive yourself. Satan will supply you with every reason why you have no right, but God gave you ONE reason why you must…Jesus. God said if youconfess your sins, He forgives them, unconditionally. He will remember them no more. You must also forgive others. No matter the reason or the act, weather they are sorry or not. God said you must forgive others if you are going to prosper.
I don’t which is harder…forgiving yourself or others. I always found it was harder to forgive myself. But I do know if you are going to “Live Past Your Past”, you must learn to forgive. I found by getting in the Bible, looking at examples God gave us, praying for wisdom and discernment and just focusing on the future, it has made it easier to forgive.
Give it a try and start living past your past today.
Be Forgiven!
Bryan
