Moving On

Life is not fair and there are a lot of injustices in this world but does that give us an excuse to blame our present behaviors on the past?

For every event in our lives there is an emotion associated to that event. And, while an event may be a positive experience for one, it can be a very negative experience for another. Think about it… Holidays are a time of celebration with family and friends with lots of food, laughter, and hugs.

Well, for some that is true but for one friend that was not the case. Growing up she lived in a home where both parents were alcoholics, they had no money, she owned one dress and had to wash it every day so she could wear it the next, she lived in a shack, and their family was looked down on in the community. For her Christmas was a horrible day. Her parents would get drunk, fight, and pass out. She never had a Christmas dinner or received a Christmas gift.

Another friend was punished when she made a mess in their “immaculate” home. Today, she is obsessive compulsive about her home and it must be perfect because that is how she was raised and that was what was expected of her.

While another was made to cook and clean for her family as a child and to this day refuses to clean house and blame her parents for her dirty house and dysfunction.

As an adult these ladies have two choices…

Live in the past and be miserable, dwelling on all the negativity, abuse, and heartache they had to endure as a children.
Live in the present, forgiving, and releasing the emotions associated with their past while enjoying the present.

Now let me ask you…does it make sense to live in a home where you can not be comfortable because you are obsessed with keeping it immaculate? Or better yet, does it make sense to live in an absolute pig pen because one is rebelling against their past…

Many are faced with that same choice. Perhaps you had a horrible childhood, your parents didn’t provide the love and acceptance you needed, you lived in poverty, or perhaps you suffered some type of abuse in your life. You have the same two choices as my friends.

How sad is it that we validate the past by giving it so much volume in our present?

Letting your past render you paralyzed and ineffective in the present is not God’s plan for your life!!! For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

I use to blame my behaviors on my past, thinking my past justified my present behaviors. Then I realized…the injustice was done. It is over!!! It is the emotion tied to the injustice that lingers on.

So…It is the emotion we must deal with not our past!!!

He wants your life to be full of love, laughter, and peace of mind. He adores you! And so much so that He allowed His son to be the ultimate sacrifice for all sin, injustices, negative emotions, and bad thing that has happened in your life…

‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ 2Corinthians 5:17

I have accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. He has made me a new creation and I am not the person I use to be…I am a His!

Not only has He given me the grace to deal with the emotions tied to my past, He has also given me the grace to love those who have not!

So for those of you my friends who have not dealt with the emotions associated with your past and continue to use it as an excuse for your present, I encourage you to give your past to Jesus and…