“Wisdom does not dwell on the past, but celebrates God’s love that brought us far from where we were!”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 2, 2022
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. Isaiah 43:18
It used to bother me that I was from a small town. I felt intimidated by others from big cities who had more education and money. Then I learned about the most influential person in history who was from a small village born in a barn and never owned a home. It used to bother me that my family was poor and then I learned about a man whose poverty allowed me to be rich in what matters most—relationships. Relationship with God and relationships with others. It used to bother me that I did not grow up in church and did not know the Bible. And then I learned about a man who was the Word, and He said walk with me, love me and I will teach you my truth. The past is part of my story, but the past does not define me—Jesus does!
The Scripture’s directive is not to wipe our minds of all past memories, like a computer drive can be wiped clean of all data. It’s not possible nor practical to totally dismiss our past. But what we can do by God’s grace is to not be paralyzed by our past guilt and shame. The shame of the cross of Christ has forgiven us and delivered us from the shame of past sins. We have been pardoned from guilt and our sentencing to hell and have been given a new life in Christ, bound for heaven! The past is part of our story that the Lord uses for us to better relate to others on life’s journey. Wisdom does not dwell on the past, but celebrates God’s love that brought us far from where we were! We appreciate the past by learning from the past how to become a better follower of Jesus.
“When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand-new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17, TLB).
Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars.
You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. ~ C. S. Lewis
When I live in the past, I stay immature, stuck in nostalgia or condemn myself with shame.
Guilt and shame:
Appreciate the past, but don’t dwell on the past. Appreciate what you are learning from the past.
I am learning to:
I love the truth in this song/poem:
One Day at a Time
One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m asking of You
Just give me the strength to do everyday
What I have to do
Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
God help me today
Show me the way
One day at a time
“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:3).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the courage to appreciate, but not to dwell on the past, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Do past shame and guilt define me today? If so, how can I rewrite my story in a way that makes Jesus the hero and me a work in process of His love and grace?
Related Reading
Psalm 62:8; Proverbs 4:25-27; Philippians 3:13-14; Colossians 3:2
Worship Resource
Lynda Randle: One Day At A Time
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