If Only...
Dear Judy,
I get those texts you send out each day. Something you wrote in today's baffles me. You wrote: “.... we are compelled to let go of our old life. We look forward in faith instead of backward in fear or regret.” I’m finding it impossible to quit regretting the mistakes I made. I was on fire for the Lord, but circumstances and isolation from believers eventually put the fire out. And you say to forget it and move on! How I wish I could.
Dear If Only,
Some of the readers do not know that I send a short daily devotional text message to those who want it. I am glad you are receiving them. You are right, I did say we look forward in faith instead of backward in fear or regret. But I did NOT say to forget it and move on. When we go forward in faith believing what the Word of God says and knowing that we are now living our life for Jesus, we are not allowing our past to control us.
Forget means to lose the memory from our mind, and that takes allowing the Lord to handle the past mistakes, knowing He can take the regrets and turn them around for us. The more we mediate on the Word of God and His promises, the more trust and belief in who we are in Christ will grow. The more we move forward, the further away our past becomes. The enemy will always try to bring up our past mistakes if we allow it but live in the abundant part of what Jesus did for us on the cross. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
You say isolation from other believers? I am sure you can find a fellowship around you somewhere. If not, volunteer at a Christian ministry. Believers are everywhere; ask the Lord to help you with that issue. But believers do not make us on fire for the Lord; the Holy Spirit does. Maybe your priorities are wrong because the Holy Spirit brings the fire to us when we are in the Word and prayer. Relationship with God brings fire!
The Apostle Paul made a LOT of mistakes and I’m sure he had a lot of regrets before his encounter with Jesus, but here are his instructions to us: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) This is a choice!
Some of the readers do not know that I send a short daily devotional text message to those who want it. I am glad you are receiving them. You are right, I did say we look forward in faith instead of backward in fear or regret. But I did NOT say to forget it and move on. When we go forward in faith believing what the Word of God says and knowing that we are now living our life for Jesus, we are not allowing our past to control us.
Forget means to lose the memory from our mind, and that takes allowing the Lord to handle the past mistakes, knowing He can take the regrets and turn them around for us. The more we mediate on the Word of God and His promises, the more trust and belief in who we are in Christ will grow. The more we move forward, the further away our past becomes. The enemy will always try to bring up our past mistakes if we allow it but live in the abundant part of what Jesus did for us on the cross. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
You say isolation from other believers? I am sure you can find a fellowship around you somewhere. If not, volunteer at a Christian ministry. Believers are everywhere; ask the Lord to help you with that issue. But believers do not make us on fire for the Lord; the Holy Spirit does. Maybe your priorities are wrong because the Holy Spirit brings the fire to us when we are in the Word and prayer. Relationship with God brings fire!
The Apostle Paul made a LOT of mistakes and I’m sure he had a lot of regrets before his encounter with Jesus, but here are his instructions to us: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) This is a choice!
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