Stepping Forward In Life, Not Back. Romans 10:17

Stepping Forward, not back.

Stand with me and lift your bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

Amen?

Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.

Stepping forward, not back.

With all that is going on in our world today, have you ever thought about what it would be like to go back a year or two with what you and I know now?

I have.

We could make a few changes.

The past is what makes us who we are today though.

Our past shapes our present and helps us identify who we are and where we are headed.

So, it’s natural to use our past experiences as a point of reference for our current situation. The choices we make for ourselves today are often influenced by our past. If we are using healthy judgment to guide our choices, then we can use past regrets, mistakes, and pain to be used as markers for what we do not want in our lives.

However, for some of us, the past is not seen as a place of reflection but as a destination. For those who struggle with letting go of past pain or regret, they can feel trapped by their situation and unable to move forward in their lives.

But there is a solution to this.

It is called faith.

Romans 10:17 says, “Then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”

We can go and look for all kinds of answers to help us through the pain of life, but the best solution and the only real one is our faith.

If we look back at what we have seen in the Word of God, we see many in the Bible that tried to do things on their own but the ones we have learned from the most are those who walked in faith.

Abraham.

Moses.

David.

Ruth.

Isaiah.

John the Baptist.

Peter

James

John

To name a few.

The pain in our past and in our present life has a way of making us feel stuck. In times of emotional pain, we may find ourselves thinking back to when we felt happier which can help motivate us in the present.

For example, if in the past we were proud of an accomplishment we achieved, thinking of our past success can help motivate us in moving forward in life now.

Looking back and remembering our past positive experiences can be a healthy option for setting goals or in building optimal habits as we focus on our future. While a little reflection can be healthy and foster creativity, too much reflection or ruminating on past negative experiences can drift into obsession and lead to feeling stuck.

That is where our faith comes in to help us through the trials of the day.

Remembering the past and seeing the Lord at work in our lives is something that we need to put as the best habit to have.

The pain and regret from the past is not going to be able to be changed.

Our past experiences can affect our current mindset and our choices in how we interpret our lives. If pain or trauma has been experienced in our past, it can impact how we view our current circumstances or even prevent us from living in the present.

Existing research suggests how past-negative experiences are often associated with increased incidences of anxiety, depression, impulsivity, low self-esteem and poor choices. For example, if we have suffered betrayal from a loved one in a romantic or familial relationship, we may re-live the traumatic experience as it replays in our mind.

Certain smells, foods, places or songs may “trigger” re-experiencing the pain, which often results in trying to push away the intrusive thoughts and feelings. This can lead to other symptoms including social isolation, distrust in others, self-sabotaging behavior and an inability to move ahead in our lives. In other words, still living in the past.

However, we can also ask and receive from the Lord in our daily walk, the new life that He promised and gave us when we put Him at the center of our daily living.

When we take the step to have a true relationship with Jesus Christ, the past is something we can fall back on as a learning experience to get us in the direction that He has for us in life.

But a true relationship with Him changes each aspect of our lives if we put Him first.