Let Go of the Past and Start Living For Today

By Angie Lewis

How many Christians, do you think, are still hanging onto wounds of the past? But how can we be Christians when we have not given up the past life of who we once were? Don’t we have to be reborn a new person to become a Christian? That’s what the bible tells us.

So my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
Romans 7:8

Some Christians still have battle scars from the past that have never gone away. When we keep the hurt within our attitude we keep chipping away at it every single day and it never heals. We can’t seem to let the past go – we want to keep bringing up the hurt and it keeps us from truly acknowledging Christ for our life. We shouldn’t allow our past to determine our future.

The truth is if we want a happy and fulfilled life we need to give up the past and allow God to bring in today. But today will never come if we keep wallowing in what was. What was is something that hurt us deeply but is now dead and buried. If you are alive in Christ you can’t bring what is dead with you –you must leave it behind where it belongs or either stay buried with it.

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-29

Sometimes it can be difficult to let go of the emotional pangs of the past, but without moving away from those past pangs, we remain stunted spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. How can we move on if mentally were still hurting? How can we move on if emotionally we don’t know what we want or need? How can we move on if spiritually we are lost?

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?
II Corinthians 13:5

Let the past go! Say, “Bye, bye past life, hello new life!” Let your mind be renewed with Christ’s Spirit and be transformed. God wants you to be created a new person in Him. Let go of the old self so the new self can be ushered in. God heals our wounds when we truly let Him into our hearts and minds and allow Him to take over in our life.

To be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:23

Let’s start living for today! Did you know when we are harboring hurt we let our past decide what we will do with today? We really do! Do you think God is happy with how we are living our life? God does not want us to be unhappy, always guarding ourselves from being hurt again. If we are afraid to love others, and to give of ourselves, then we will never be happy in this life. Only when we decide to let go of the past will we be able to live to our potential in the Lord. Put your trust in God.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31

If we are depressed, lonely, angry, addicted, or living our life in bitterness then these things are controlling who we are in Christ. They literally keep us from becoming the person that God created us to be. These things are the symptoms of a pain we won’t give up, and it is how we allow the past to dictate our life today. We ease the hurt through these temporary vices and emotions and remain in our own little world where no one else can come in and hurt us ever again.

But the truth is without God we are more vulnerable to these vises. The big bad Spirit likes to keep us living in our sins, depressions and addictions, that way we can’t mature spiritually and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. They keep us from having a relationship with Jesus! As long we remain spiritually stunted we won’t find salvation because we are literally starving for spiritual insight and wisdom. This is what living in our past does to us. We must let go of the past and start living for today!

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be
troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27