I heard of this conversation between two lovers where the man, who had been wounded from past relationships and was having difficulty trusting in this new affair, said: “I’m sorry … but my past is haunting me”. She looked him steadfastly in the eyes and replied: “Give me a chance to change your past”. WOW … what a statement … “Give me a chance to change your past” … is that even possible?
WHILE IT IS TRUE that we cannot actually go back and literally change our past … there is something deeper … something more profound … something more meaningful and eternal here!
The Bible speaks of a person’s past being “changed”. The apostle Paul said: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT) WOW … “The old life is gone” … Is that possible?
IT IS POSSIBLE as far as my past being a “haunting memory” or a “determining factor” for my future. That is what Paul meant when he stated: “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.” (Romans 6:6-7 NLT) SET FREE FROM OUR PAST … WOW!!!
In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah said that we are NOT defined by our past … but we are defined by WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE … and we need to WALK IN THAT TRUTH:
“You’ll get a brand-new name
straight from the mouth of God.
You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand,
a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God.
No more will anyone call you Rejected,
and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight),
and your land Beulah (Married),
Because God delights in you
and your land will be like a wedding celebration.
For as a young man marries his virgin bride,
so your builder marries you,
And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride,
so your God is happy with you.”
(Isaiah 62:2-5 – message)
SO … BACK TO THE TWO LOVERS … Is it possible for her to fulfill what she promised? ABSOLUTELY! In the same way God does that for us … we can do that for someone else. We can fulfill that by NOT defining them with their past … but by loving them for WHO THEY ARE. When we can perform this amazing act of love we are helping that individual to experience real love … AND … through your example … find healing from their past enabling them to walk this new journey of WHO THEY REALLY ARE.
SO … in that way … OUR PAST CAN BE CHANGED … to where it no longer defines us … no longer controls us … no longer has power over us … AND … we are now FREE to love … to live … and to be the amazing person God says we are.
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