I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday! This week I found myself wrapping up correspondence from our brothers and sisters around the world, and I discovered a theme that seemed to permeate with most - getting over the past. Some experienced the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, work. Others could not move beyond traumatic experiences, some even suffered health issues from the past that prevented them from enjoying life. We each have our own stories and all are important, but did you know most past thoughts and convictions prevent us from seeing what's ahead or moving forward? It can even affect our relationship with God.
I find a lot of information pertaining to 'self-help' and emotional wellbeing out there to be at times a bit condescending. Lecturers, psychologists even Youtubers speaking in whispers as if a raised decibel in the voice would cause an emotional meltdown or some psychological eruption. Speaking as if I were a disgruntled mental patient. Needless to say it annoys me. I simply want to understand how to get beyond my negative, stifling, self-destructive feelings from the past.
One method I learned was naturally the title of this message - 'A Letter to the Past'. How do you write a letter to the past? Write whatever you need to. Address the issues you had in your life at this point in time, give yourself some love, forgive yourself, forgive others, be empathetic, have compassion and write until you feel you have dealt with it all. Explain to your past self what is about to happen, and how you intend to embrace that positive change. Some things you write may be hard, brutal, painful and even frightening. But through the comfort and peace of Jesus Christ you can find both the courage and comfort to confront whatever has held you and your heart, mind and soul hostage for so long. After you've written all you need to say to your past, destroy the letter and all the feelings that came with it. Release. Stay in prayer and take it one day at a time remembering your promise to move on to your present self.
So if you've prayed for relief, it's time to put that prayer into action - you're first step is writing that letter, then keep moving forward. I'm praying for you..
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you
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