"That which has been is what will be;
that which is done is what will be done."
Ecclesiastes 1:9
"If only I would have..." "If I could do that over again,..." "I wish I could go back in time and..." Do any of those statements sound familiar? They seem to always refer to regrets that we have in our past. There are things that were done years ago that still haunt us to this day. It might have been some words that were said in anger that we know we can never get back. Perhaps our regrets are because of a decision that we made that cost us more than we ever wanted to pay. Regrets of the past take on many forms.
Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, recognized that the past is what it is: the past. You cannot change it, explain it away, or remove the consequences of its decisions. It is over. So what do you do with all of those regrets? How do you get rid of this baggage that you have been carrying around for so long? First, you follow the admonition of the Apostle Peter when he says, "Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." God in His infinite knowledge knows of the burdens that you carry and in His love He desires to lift them for you. There is not one weight upon your shoulders that He cannot carry. Think about it for just a moment. If you as mere man are carrying this weight, how much easier would it be for Almighty God to take it upon Himself?
Second, the Apostle Paul gave us some great advice about dealing with the past. "Forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead." God has prepared things for us that we cannot even imagine or think. He doesn't want you to live in the pains of regret, because when you live that way life is selfishly about you. He wants you to look forward to the things He has prepared and live your life accordingly. You have to be on the path for Christ each day, and you cannot allow the past to cause you to be constantly pulled back away from the prize that He has prepared.
Thirdly, listen to the wise words of the Apostle John. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God lovingly forgives you when you come to Him in confession and repentance. You have agreed with God that those things that haunt you were not right, and He chose to cleanse you from that unrighteousness. Years ago I read this advice and it has stuck with me: "If a holy God is willing to forgive you of your past, you should follow His lead and forgive yourself." Today you can be released from these paper chains of the enemy. If God has forgiven you, there is no hold on your moving forward in His name.
May you be free today!
Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, recognized that the past is what it is: the past. You cannot change it, explain it away, or remove the consequences of its decisions. It is over. So what do you do with all of those regrets? How do you get rid of this baggage that you have been carrying around for so long? First, you follow the admonition of the Apostle Peter when he says, "Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." God in His infinite knowledge knows of the burdens that you carry and in His love He desires to lift them for you. There is not one weight upon your shoulders that He cannot carry. Think about it for just a moment. If you as mere man are carrying this weight, how much easier would it be for Almighty God to take it upon Himself?
Second, the Apostle Paul gave us some great advice about dealing with the past. "Forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead." God has prepared things for us that we cannot even imagine or think. He doesn't want you to live in the pains of regret, because when you live that way life is selfishly about you. He wants you to look forward to the things He has prepared and live your life accordingly. You have to be on the path for Christ each day, and you cannot allow the past to cause you to be constantly pulled back away from the prize that He has prepared.
Thirdly, listen to the wise words of the Apostle John. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God lovingly forgives you when you come to Him in confession and repentance. You have agreed with God that those things that haunt you were not right, and He chose to cleanse you from that unrighteousness. Years ago I read this advice and it has stuck with me: "If a holy God is willing to forgive you of your past, you should follow His lead and forgive yourself." Today you can be released from these paper chains of the enemy. If God has forgiven you, there is no hold on your moving forward in His name.
May you be free today!
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