I watched a family baby dedication a couple of weeks ago, and the father of the child was asked to say a blessing over his son. Before he did he made a comment that I wish I had written down verbatim, but let me give you the gist of what I remember. He said that he spent alot of his life living in regret. When he focused on the regret of his past it allowed shame to rule his present day, and looking at his sons faces he knew he had to shift his focus to the joy and blessings today and in the future.
Isn’t that a battle we all face. Trying to conquer today while battling things that are long past. The truth is that in Christ your past is under the blood of His sacrifice and no longer should have say in your mind nor control of your emotions. Paul put it this way:
1 Corinthians 3:22-23 “…whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s”
Romans 8:3 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers…”
Neither of those versus mentions that past at all. It is technically illegal territory for us to spend time on, as you are forgiven and in Christ are a resurrected being. It is our job to “take every thought captive” and train our mind, will and emotions unto the Father’s business of today and our futures that He holds in His hands. In 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 we read it this way: “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Timothy likens it to exercising our bodies. We don’t do sit-ups or go for runs or strength train to help us conquer our past!!!! We exercise for today and for our future endeavors. Picking up your bible, having a conversation with God, not allowing the past you to dictate your day, takes spiritual training that only YOU can do for YOURSELF. God’s Kingdom people must diligently pursue this discipline. The battle that is worth fighting is in your mind, quit being ruled by your past or consumed with the future and learn to live in the present presence!
AWARE
Worried about tomorrow,
Regrets of yesterday,
Expectations demand attention,
Intruding thoughts at play.
How to appease the future,
While running from the past.
All-consuming busy-ness,
Time goes by so fast.
The pace of life is pressured,
By the tyrant of urgency.
But what of the flow in the Spirit?
Present eternally.
Stop focusing on what could come,
In your fortune-telling mind.
Don’t let your history dictate,
Let go of what’s behind.
Life is a moving target,
Distracting the human race.
And God–The Great I AM,
Wants us to seek His face.
For the Love of God is abundant.
A table He has prepared.
A current of grace that overflows
If we choose to be aware.
Original Text 12/14/15
by Kammy Schuppe from Musings From The Front Pew 2nd Edition.
