Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

    Do you ever have nagging images from your past that come to mind way too often? Those ‘poor choice’ moments where you have done something hurtful or wrong and you’re sure everyone in the whole world remembers and judges you on it? Those times when you opened your mouth with good intentions only to find yourself saying something totally out of context, incorrect, poor timing or just plain dumb? Those times you’ve made ‘life changing’ decisions that didn’t end up so good?

    Through all the years of worldly choices, it’s easy to let your past define who you are. It affects your self-confidence. It clouds your vision of who you really are and who you can be. But most of all, it distorts your vision of who God sees you as.

    It’s difficult to let your past be your ‘past’. But God says that old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. When you made the decision to let Jesus into your life, you repented of your sins (gave God your past) and became a ‘new creation’. In other words, we no longer belong to the world, but we belong to God. Acts 3:19 says that your sins are wiped out and 1 John 1:9 says that you are purified from all unrighteousness.

Repent therefore and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out. Acts 3:19

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

    When you hang on to your past, replaying it in your mind, failing to acknowledge that God has wiped it clean, you feel like you are dragging a ‘ball & chain’. You’re burdened as if you have the weight of the world on you. I don’t know about you, but I have enough stress and I’m dragging enough weight around without the ‘ball and chain’ of my past.

    Not having a clear vision of who you really are also hinders relationships. When you visualize yourself as others still see you, you can tend to see yourself as less than who you truly are. When you visualize others as thinking less of you than they really do, you respond as if you don’t deserve their friendship and you distance yourself from them. If your friends are Christians, they also should learn to see you as God sees you.

    So, repent (often) of your sins. Give ALL your past to God (He will wipe it out). Begin to see yourself as a ‘new creation in Christ’. You are a Child of the One True King!

Your ‘past’ doesn’t define who you are, God’s presence does.