Paralyzed by the past

Why do we so often let the past paralyze us?
Whether I am looking at my own life or the lives of others, so many people are held captive by their past.
I have stood behind the bars of past mistakes. I have felt the imprisonment of regrets. I have experienced the hate, anger, guilt, and shame that result from poor decisions and unpleasant experiences.
My use of the past tense does not mean that I am completely free of those things. If I am completely honest, there are still times that I struggle with my past. I have times when I look back and feel the emotional and spiritual paralysis beginning to seep back into my life.
God never intended for us to look back. I think that is the real lesson in the story of Lot’s wife in Genesis 19. Jesus actually referred to this story when he told his disciples, “Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.” (Luke 17:32-33)
Throughout history, God’s desire has been that we leave our past behind and look ahead to what God has in store. He wants our lives to be more than we can imagine. His dreams are bigger than our dreams. His hopes for us far exceed what we can imagine.
The apostle Paul may have put it best when he wrote, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)
Don’t look back. Don’t be held captive by past mistakes or situations. Whether it’s choices you have made or things that have happened to you that are beyond your control, God is calling you into a better future.
This journey may not be easy and it’s nearly impossible to make the trip alone. We need each other to help us along the way. God called us into community for a purpose, and part of that purpose is to create a place of safety and encouragement where we can be there for one another.
Don’t look back.
Don’t be held captive.
Look forward to the incredible future God has in store for you.
We usually can’t see what the future holds, but when we trust God and lean on one another, we will move closer to the hope and healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

shine!
Jason