Until I deal seriously with my past I cannot be serious about my future. I am not sure why this issue of dealing with the past is sticking in my mind so much, but I find that many people seem Chained to their past. Past decisions, past relationships, past choices, past loves, past hates, past fears, past dreams. I see them chained because their present and future are effected by their past and they feel like they are helpless to do anything about it.
Samson comes to mind as I consider this reality. He is a great example of someone who had a real and powerful call from God, and then chose to despise that call in exchange for his own pleasure. He made a mistake. In fact he made a whole series of mistakes. He tossed away God's blessing and lost his power, his position, and his sight.
Perhaps he is an extreme example, but I believe many people are in a similar situation. God has placed a call on their life and through a myriad of circumstances and choices they have left it, despising it for another call. People have a hard time admitting that they despised God's call. I think the idea of despising God is tough for people to admit, but it is the accurate description of what occurred. God called you to a certain profession, a certain person, a certain position. But, for whatever reason you were too afraid, had too little faith, or were just too interested in other options.
Until we can look back on our past and be honest about our actions and attitudes we cannot hope to move forward in any significant way. One thing that should help us in this process is this incredible fact:
GOD LOVES US. No matter what our past looks like and how we squandered His provision and despised His call... He loves us and longs to redeem and restore us. Remember Samson. He was chained to a post, blind, powerless. When he finally admitted that it was all his fault and asked to be restored... God restored him. His calling changed for sure, the direction of his life on earth was forever changed due to his earlier decisions. But, until he was ready to deal honestly with his past he was unable to focus on his future.
So, how about you? Are you willing to allow God to use your history to change your future? What if He called you to one incredible, and life-altering act in the future? Is your current life so valuable to you that you are unwilling to give it away to be used by God once more? Or, if He asks you to leave it all behind and follow Him... will you do it?
It's easy to point the finger at past hurts and painful memories that others have caused in my life. It is an altogether different scenario to suck it up and admit to myself and to God that I was at fault. (Not that He doesn't know that anyway.)
ReplyDeleteVery good post -- and the title is much better than "Name it to Claim it".