Dear Disciple,
“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
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
You are a person with a past, living in the present, and moving toward an endless future. Wonderfully, your very good Creator has secured a salvation for you that fully addresses your past, present, and future.
There are many who struggle when it comes to living in the present consequences of their past. They are bound by the mistakes they’ve made and the damage they’ve done, and/or they are bound by the wounds others have inflicted on them. The gospel of our Master Jesus calls us to freedom from any of these tethers so that we can walk joyously and freely with Him into the endless future He has promised to those who love Him.
First, your sins of the past can easily entangle you in guilt, shame, and fear. This can lead you to close yourself off from others or count yourself out of the wonderful kingdom promises our Master came to offer and fulfill. What would He have you do with those sins of the past? Confess in true repentance (thinking differently about them), and then trust Him to keep His promise to you. “He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” He has clearly promised, and so the question is simply whether you trust Him to keep His word. Once the King has released you from your debt, you are truly released. The tether holding you to the condemnation of your past is severed, and you can now embrace a present and future of joyous freedom and fellowship with your Master and others.
Second, your wounds inflicted by the past sins of others can easily entangle you in anger, bitterness, resentment, self-loathing, and/or fear of further hurt. This can close you off from receiving and offering the love that our Master offers and demands. What would He have you do with those wounds? With your mind fixed firmly on the wonder of your Father’s forgiveness toward you, genuinely release others from their debts to you. Pray true blessing over them. Release them so that you consider that they owe you nothing at all for what they’ve done. Step aside and let your Father take those wrongdoings in hand so that He can do what is just and right. In doing so, you will sever the tethers that bind you to the anger and fear of the past. Then you can embrace a present and future of joyous freedom and fellowship with your Master and others.
May your past, however painful, be just one of the many parts of yourself that is offered up to the service of your King. May you trust Him, Disciple, to heal you as you follow His very good but very challenging example and commands. He can be trusted, and that means that you and those who have hurt you can be free – now and endlessly into the future.
Released and releasing with you,
Ryan
