It is amazing how much time of our life is spent living in the past, both reliving victories and wallowing in losses. If the past isn’t used to affect the future then the past is overrated. Don’t get it twisted, I am not implying in the slightest, to adopt the mentality of, “Oh, well, the past is the past, get the dirt off your shoulders, get over it and move on…” only to later repeat the mistakes of the past again in again. What I am suggesting is that one treats the past as an archaeologist, using the past as a place for discovery, to reconstruct a new you for the future to see. Deal with the consequences of your history so you can embrace the possibilities of your future.
“But time don’t go back, it goes forward can’t run from the pain, go towards it.” –Jay Z Kingdom Come “Lost Ones”
(Did he just quote Jay Z? yes and I totally am willing to discuss the implications of music, how the Lucifer prior to being kicked out of heaven was influential in the arena of music, how masses are hypnotized by a beat, while subliminal sinful, misogynistic messages are woven into the tapestries of their minds, that later effect behavior. The debate of life imitating art vs. art imitating life, how the church can ill afford to reach the world by mimicking it giving them what they already have without any creativity, without any message of Jesus, how if one is going to cross-over, they must carry the cross (the gospel) over literally. With all that said, this quote simply substantiates the point I am attempting to make regarding the past and pain.)
-But time don’t go back it goes forward
No matter how much we live in the past, it is what it is, the past. Only God has the power to effectively and directly address our past. Genuine true repentance that comes from a sincere heart, and turning away from what we are repenting for, and asking God for a clean heart and right spirit, and allowing the blood to cleanse us is how we deal with our past. 2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. The best tool for me to address the past is the present and the future. Paul a man with a checkered past, flaws and all pre Christ (Acts 9) and Post Christ had the courage and wisdom to declare Philippians 3:13-14 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus told Peter, Satan desires to have you to sift you as wheat, but I prayed for you that your faith fails you not, and when you are converted, strengthen the brethren (I am so doing this text an injustice not mentioning Peter’s impulsive nature, how he constantly gets things 100% right in one instance only to get it 100% wrong the next, how he was a part of Jesus’ inner circle (James and John the sons of Zebedee being the others) yet, he denied Christ 3 times at the time when he needed him most, but later affirmed his love 3 times and preached the inaugural message of the New Testament church) Peter takes the mistakes of his past and uses them as fuel to make him a better Peter in the future.
-Don’t run from the pain run towards it
I had the pleasure of spending time with perhaps the most insightful introspective person I know, my mentee Matthew Mason this weekend. I will tell anyone clearly he is the real mentor in the relationship. We discussed this idea of the past and pain the scripture that clarifies the matter is when Peter after seeking God three times to remove pain, listens to God’s response. 2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Many people deny the pain and try to masquerade it. While others fail to acknowledge their weaknesses and some after acknowledging them loathe and wallow in their weaknesses. I ask God intentionally when I experience pain, setback, or heartbreak, allow me to feel the pain completely and so I don’t have a pseudo-healing only to have the pain reemerge later. Satan wants us to run from the pain, because there is power behind the pain. When we identify these areas of pain and surrender to Christ, when we discover our weakness we have just discovered Christ’s strength and it will infuse and empower us to transcend the past, and empower us to accept the future and destiny God desires for us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Okay so I totally gotta respond to this one because you're all up in my life with this one because this is exactly the process that I'm going through as we type.What I have learned is that the statement that "Time heals all wounds" is incomplete. It implies that just because something happened when I was 12, I should automatically be over it now that I'm 24 simply because 12 years have past. However I now know that if you don't deal with your pain you will NEVER!!!!!!! be healed. You will simply push the pain down deeper and deeper and eventually it's going to exploide uncontrollably at the most inopportune moment. Whether we're conscious of it or not, our unresolved issues of the past negatively control our actions in the present and the sad part is it often takes a traumatic experience to get us to acknowledge our pain. Sometimes when you experience devastation in the present it can bring up painful memories of the past. You then find yourself overwhelmed because now, you not only have the present pain to deal with but also the past pain and you begin to wonder if you'll ever be totally healed? Will all of these issues ever be resolved? and if the answer is yes when is this healing going to take place. But thank that that with his stripes we are healed. Often times preachers focus on pyhsical healing omitting to discuss emotional healing which is equally if not more important than physical healing. Because physical pain eventually subsides. However emotional pain can haunt you for decades if you don't deal with it.The positive thing is that overcoming obstacles is perhaps the best way to learn how strong you truly are because eventually you''ll look back at something you thought that you were not going to make it through and say to your self " I didn't know I could take all that until I HAD to take all that"!.
"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." - Peter
"When we identify these areas of pain and surrender to Christ, when we discover our weakness we have just discovered Christ’s strength" - Chris Foster
You better preach! That is all I have to say...
=)
What a word. It reminded me of something I read about Moses in some Bible commentary the other day. I think the commentator said something to the effect of, "God can use you anyhow - look at Moses, a stuttering murderer, who led the Israelites to the promised land." I laughed at the time ('cause they didn't have to bust Moses out like that) but then it made me think, and this word confirmed what I thought and can be summed up in one verse: Philippians 1:6 - "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
No matter what we do, or how badly we fall, as long as we get back up and get back in line with Jesus, "all things work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28.
Moses was selected from infancy to be brought up with privilege and education. Then he went off and killed a brother. But in the end, he was STILL chosen! And his end (meaning the latter part of his life - not his literal ending of not being able to see the promised land) was indeed better than his beginning (Eccl. 7:8).
I love how the Word of God is still applicable today. Thanks again for sharing YPC!
Post a Comment