One of the hardest things to do is letting go of yesterday. The strings of the past can become spiritual strongholds that prevent us from moving on. Yet, we must let go of the past in order to release the amazing future God has planned for us.
Brethren, 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, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The number one enemy of the future is the past. As we move forward, it is important for us to rid ourselves of the strong hold of yesterday.
Yesterday can be a very sad memory filled with the sorrow of regret. This load and these scars can be so strenuous that they defeat the strongest warriors among us.
As we battle the past, we must realize that it doesn’t exist and it can never do. As a result, dwelling in the past is a great waste of time. This is because it can never change anything, neither can never make our lives better.
Forget the things behind you
The Apostle Paul was very adamant of the impacts of the past when we move towards our divine destinations. In Philippians, Paul singles out the one thing that he does in order to move forward.
He says that he forgets the things that are behind and he moves forward towards the prize set before him. What Paul is saying here is that the prerequisite to reaching the future is to let go of the past.
Imagine moving forward with a constant heavy load, and consider how further we could reach if we travel without this load. We must look deeply at our lives and ensure that as we move forward, we leave the past behind us.
Moving forward can be hard
Moving forward is not always an easy thing to do. The events of the past are usually the building blocks of our present realities. We cannot ignore the fact that it’s not an easy task to forget what has happened in our lives.
In the truest sense, we must forgive the past, to live the future. Unforgiveness doesn’t only affect our past, but it is the pestilence of our present. Unforgiveness is like a poison that kills us everyday. On this note, we must forgive the past, to advance into our future.
There is no excuse for unforgiveness, and we must understand its presence in our lives. It is usually a result of a hurt that we have not fully let go, that has been flourishing because we water it. If we keep thinking about the same event, that led to the same hurt, then we are watering this hurt. Yet if we empower our minds beyond our hurt, with the light of truth, then sooner or later our hurts will be consumed.
Boldly let go
We must boldly let go of whatever keeps us back, and we must stretch our arms and reach for the future. Also, let us see a future full of goodness and constantly express an attitude of hope.
As we aim for our target, there must be no hindrance that would distort our aim. Let us boldly let go of whatever holds us back. We must identify the root of our hurt, and unforgiveness, and we must free ourselves from this root. We deserve to be free, and we will be set free by the full strength of God when we rely on Him.
Forgiveness is necessary
It can be a great burden when we seek to forgive, yet forgiveness is necessary if we want to proceed. The task of forgiveness is so hard, that it will lead us to insanity if we allow it to. Yet we have the power to conquer this demon, and live as a free expression of God.
Some of us have been marred by sexual exploitation. There are people who have been betrayed by their closest friends and some that have warred with diversities of sicknesses.
Let us not be naive and neglect the fact that the emotional complexities that exist in these situations can overthrow the bravest people. It is not easy but we should accept that it can be done.
But Jesus beheld them and said; with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
In our impossibilities, our hope is that with God, all things are possible.
Bible Verses On "Letting Go Of Yesterday"
"A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away."
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
18. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.19. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
13. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
As We Conclude
As you travel along, remember that with your own effort it is an impossible task to deal with unforgiveness. It takes a divine perspective, to replace unforgiveness with love. You may not be able to do it, but with God all things are possible.
The power of love will regenerate any wound and bring it into alignment with the perfection of Christ. We can and we must deal with the past because we must move forward to reach our prize. Don’t lose courage, stand tall and never give up.
Helpful Prayer
Dear God, thank you for never leaving me nor forsaking me at any point in my life. I pray for divine strength as I deal with the issues of this life and as I move forward into the future you have prepared for me. Give me the grace to forgive and the wisdom to forget. Amen.
