Getting past your past by turning to God: Repentance, Forgiveness, Hope

We cannot navigate our present with joy, if we cannot navigate our past with grace and truth.

Our church is going through a series on the pursuit of happiness, and a major stumbling block for Christians can be the looming remnants of a troubled past. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23. Everyone falls short, and the perfect example of a life turned around is the Apostle Paul. He was once a man crucifying Christians, present at the death of Christianity’s first martyr, Steven. Then on the road to Damascus God opened up the sky and with flashing lights surrounded Paul revealing Himself to him. Paul dropped everything, gave his life to Christ, and became arguably the most influential Christian of all time. What does he say about pressing onwards? “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” Philippians 3:13. Present what is holding you back to the Lord, and press onward forgetting what is behind. Our old selves die when we are born again in Jesus.

So how do we just forget and move on? Well it’s equally up to us as it is to God. We name what it is that we need to let go of, locate it, and lean onto God’s invitation to move on.

Once you have named the broken piece of your past, my Church made an easy diagram to figure out where it is located. It’s been dubbed the “Bad Circle.”

Not to oversimplify, but our past mistakes can generally be boiled down into 3 categories: My bad, Your Bad, and It’s Bad.

My Bad: These are sins that are identified as our fault. No one else is responsible for these actions except ourselves, and oftentimes these are the most difficult to get past. Our response is remorse. Our prayer is to repent.

Prayer: Jesus, it is by your grace alone that I am saved, not by my good or bad deeds. I turn from my way of living, and turn towards Your way. Jesus, my redeemer, my forgiver, I put my trust in you today. Amen.

Your Bad: These are the times you have been wronged. Maybe you are holding onto a memory or the resentment tied to something horrible that has happened to you. Your response is anger and rage. Your prayer is forgiveness.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for forgiving me. Give me the strength to begin forgiving others. I cling to the promise that one day you will make everything right. Jesus, I relinquish to you the people who have hurt me. I ask that truth be brought to light, and healing prevail. Amen.

It’s Bad: We live in a broken world. Sickness may have taken a loved on, or circumstances that we cannot understand have altered our lives forever. As much as we beg God for answers, we have to accept that God’s future plan for our lives is greater than the past that haunts us. We aren’t an accumulation of past failures, mistakes, or circumstances, we are God’s children. Our response to this type of struggle is regret. Our prayer is hope.

Prayer: Jesus, remind me that you are always with me. I don’t ask you to bless what I have decided to do; but I ask for the grace to live out, in full confidence, the life you have for me. Amen.

Don’t let trouble in your past steal your present joy, and do not be robbed of the hope we get to live in for a brighter future. One of my favorite verses of hope is Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” He knows our hearts and deepest desires. He celebrates in our successes and loves to shower us with blessings. Regardless of the past, look towards the future with hope. His plan for our lives is greater than we can ever imagine.