The Past is Over

This morning I woke up with a vivid memory of the past. It wasn't a pleasant time in my life. During that period I was unable to distinguish between what I wanted and what God was trying to do through me. As I pondered on the painful memories of the past, I kept wondering why I started thinking about such a hurtful time when I had declared that the past was over. Then I realized something. The past is just a reminder of the things we've learned, mistakes we've made and primarily an opportunity for growth. Sometimes memories of past hurt and disappointment may creep into our minds, but it is how we react to them that makes the difference. If we use the past as a tool to become a better person, we have literally stomped on the devil's head. The enemy's tactical plan is to have us dwell in the past and get depressed. He wants us to wish we could go back and change things. We all know that we can't change what has happened in the past, but we can take charge of the present and our future.

If we make a conscious effort to let go of the past, we give God the opportunity to work miracles in our lives. Sure there are some things in our past that were so hurtful that it is hard to even fathom how we made it through it, but we did. Those past hurts, let downs and disappointments shape us into who we are.

I am an avid Rocky fan and on the last Rocky movie, he is having a conversation with his son. Because of the notoriety of Rocky, his son has always felt like he was in his shadow and he never had a chance to have something all his own. Rocky gives his son a life lesson. He tells him that this world can be a cold and cruel place. But its not about how hard you get hit in life, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. We have to have that same mentality when we reflect on the past. Yes it has caused some devastating blows, but guess what you're still here. Take time to grow and learn from the past. Don't let it consume you. You don't have to let the mistakes of the past define who you are today. The word declares that your latter days will be greater than your past. Now walk in it!

Video of the Day: Moving Forward by Israel Houghton