Life Coaching: Leaving The Past Behind

I seem to be turning my life into a blog. Or maybe my blog is turning into my life. I don’t know which. I read Psalm 25 today and verses 20 and 21 just seemed to leap right off the page at me…”Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.“

There are things that happened to me in my past that I would just as soon remain buried. But things that are buried have a way of floating to the surface, and at that point, we have to deal with them.

Everyone has a past. Everyone. Some are more embarrassing than others, but the reason they call it “past” is because that’s exactly what it is—PAST. The past may have helped shape who you are today, but it doesn’t have to define you. It doesn’t have to hold you back. And it doesn’t have to defeat you.

I have things I’d rather not have shouted from the rooftop, as we all do. But if confronted about said things, how do we handle that? Do we further compound the problem by lying about it? We, as Christians, should reject that idea. Rather, the example of the Apostle Paul comes to mind. He murdered and persecuted Christians. He called himself the chiefest of sinners. Yet, what would we do without his contribution to the Word of God? We wouldn’t have such wonderful verses as “Love is patient, love is kind. It keeps no record of wrongdoing.” Or “without faith. It is impossible to please God.” Good, solid doctrinal verses on which to build our faith. I am certain Paul would’ve loved to forget he was once a murderer. Yet, with Gods redemption, and the shed blood of Jesus, he rose from the ashes like the proverbial Phoenix and became one of the greatest men to ever spread the gospel. And he didn’t lie or conceal who he was in that process.

Today, I’m gonna do something I seldom do., and I am gonna encourage your to do the same. I am being introspective about my past life and I am getting those things out of the inside of me that need to come out. I am not advocating full confessionals on Facebook, but I AM advocating full confessionals before God. Tell him those things that are bugging you about your past. Don’t hold anything back. Deal with it, leave it there, turn your back on it and don’t look back. Let Jesus wash you in His cleansing blood and be free of the negative self talk, the devil’s traps, and people who just can’t seem to get on board with the present YOU! The old YOU may be done things that weren’t pretty, but the new YOU makes good choices, better choices and godly choices. Refused to be defined by who YOU were and let your relationship with Christ Jesus define YOU now. Today. Present tense. You are a child of the living God. Ladies you’re the daughter of the King. Gentlemen, you’re the son of the King. If your crown gets knocked sideways, straighten it and GO! Go in victory. Go in peace. Go in love. Go in grace. But GO! Forward. March!