No More Replay
Some days it’s just plain hard to stop it.
The video running in my head. The day I yelled at my child. The afternoon when I missed it, thinking the big thing was really a little thing.
If I don’t push the stop button, the scenes will play on and on, finishing with one year and picking up with the next. As they play, my thoughts begin to tell my emotions where to go, providing the backdrop music for this movie of shame, failure, sadness, regret.
I may feel helpless, but Christ tells me He has come into my life to push stop on these videos, disconnect the playback button and then delete these mind movies.
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:14 (NIV)
Friend, there it is in black and white: Christ’s blood cleanses our conscience from those acts we have been guilty of that have lead to death – the death of our relationships, our loves, our blessings. We have been cleansed so that we may serve the living God!
Yes, we’ve messed up. There is no doubt about that! But because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, we no longer have to push “play” and revisit those scenes over and over again. The fact is: no matter how many times we go over them and revisit those memories, we cannot fix what is in the past. Our replaying does not accomplish good in us or for us. He has set us free to no longer go there and now we must trust Him to do what only He can do to redeem those situations.
He has set you free, cleansed your heart and mind. Today, let’s replay this message over and over and over again. Let’s find the power we need to serve Him in the power that has cleansed us and set us free!
This is the second day in a row that I have been told to forget the past, and NEVER think about it again. I am really confused, because lately I had felt The Lord leading me to find a way to use the past (the really bad stuff) in some form of ministry, but I don’t know how I can do that if I never think about it again. Honestly, I would LOVE to forget it forever, but since I have never been able to do that, and more and more over the past year or two, I had been finding myself reading blogs and devotionals that have been discussing how others have used their really tough stuff to help others, I began to take that as The Lord trying to lead me in that direction. But in the past two days, the messages have mostly been just FORGET all the bad stuff, period. I am getting mental whiplash. Any advice?
Linda, I’m so glad you brought this up!
The type of “replaying” I am talking about is when the thoughts of the past are being used by the enemy to bring condemnation into your life.
I absolutely believe God can and wants to use the pains in our pasts as a means of coming alongside others as they process their healing. The Holy Spirit lives within you; you can hear him! I am sure it is him leading you to use your past to help others. Be brave and go!
Thank you for this! As a mom with 3 kids ages 4 and under, I have caught myself all too often struggling lately with impatience. Some days are better than others. I have been seeking the Lord and self-improvement to find better balance. I get so hard on myself and find myself crying, feeling like a failure at the end of some days. With the help of the Lord, my husband, and wonderful authors like yourself, I have finally began to fight that self-doubt and believe that God can and has equipped me for all He wants me to be for His glory. I have been on my own journey of learning what love and grace truly mean. This post was an excellent reminder to me on a rough day! Thank you