Set Free From The Past

“Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” (Philippians 3:13)

Dwelling on the past.

We all do it.

Someone hurt us. Rejected us. Broke our heart. Neglected us. Even abused us. They weren't there for us when we needed them. They told us we were a disappointment to them.

Everyone has, at one time in their life, carried around some serious emotional baggage from their past.

And sadly, many people still carry it.

Wouldn't you like to, once and for all, be free from the oppressive, heavy weight of that baggage?

Personally, I know only one Counselor who was able to set me free from the pain, shame and oppression of my troubled past.

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Doesn't it give you great hope that God Himself is your Counselor!

And what He spoke through Paul, He speaks to us today, that we have to forget those things which are behind us. Forget the past. And reach forward to those things which are ahead.

Part of forgetting the past is forgiving those who hurt us.

"Easier said than done" you say?

Bitterness and unforgiveness will destroy a person.

A friend of mine once said,

"Unforgiveness is like drinking poison, hoping the other person will die."

Choosing to forgive someone who hurt you is not saying that what they did to you was okay.

What they did to you was not okay.

Forgiveness means that you, from your heart, are choosing to release that person from the debt of your unforgiveness.

And in the process, you are setting yourself free from your self-imposed bitter prison.

You can be set free. Your broken heart can be healed.

Jesus said:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed.” (Luke 4:18)

The Mighty God—Jesus. His name is also called Wonderful, Counselor, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.

You will know His peace when you choose to forgive the people and forget the hurts of your past, and look forward to the wonderful things that are ahead for all who trust in Jesus and look for His appearing.

Jesus promised us:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

In our opening verse, Paul not only said to forget those things which are behind us. But he said we're to be reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

Jesus is our future, but He is also present with us right now. Reach for Him. Cry out to Him. Trust in Him. Reach out for those things He has for you right now—like the people He has placed all around you who need His love, kindness and compassion.

Paul said:

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-15)

The goal Paul speaks of here is to make Jesus known to whoever will listen, to whoever will hear and believe the Gospel and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

And the prize is when Jesus calls us upward, to be with Him in the place He has prepared for us. And that prize is free. You can't earn it. It's a free gift to all those who have chosen to believe in Jesus as Savior and who have surrendered their hearts to Him who loves us; having died for us while we were still sinners.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Godly, bible-based counseling can be very beneficial.

But there is only One whose name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,

His name is Jesus.

No matter how bad your past was, no matter where you're at, no matter what you've done, reach out for Him today.

Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, to bring liberty to the captives, and to set free those who are oppressed.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.