NO OTHER FOUNDATION

“I’m sorry for the person I became.

I’m sorry that it took so long for me to change.

I’m ready to be sure that I never become that way again

‘cause who I am hates who I’ve been.

Who I am hates who I’ve been.”

Who I am Hates Who I’ve Been- Relient K

Do you wish you could ever change the past? If you could build a time machine and go back in your past and change just one event, do you know what it would be? I do. I actually have given much thought to the things I would change. I would take back decisions that I’ve made that have hurt people I love. I would spend more time with people I loved that were taken from me before I was ready. I would take back poor choices that I made for the sake of “having a good time.” I would never say words that hurt the ones I care the most about. My list could go on and on.
I have wallowed in my guilt wishing things I could go back. But the fact is I can’t. Each second passes by and it is out of my grasp- I can’t reach back and touch it. This finally brought me to the question, “Now what?” I can’t change the past, so what can I do? I think the Apostle Paul gives great insight on what to do with the things of our past in Philippians 3:13 (ESV)- “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,” (emphasis mine). I might not be able to change the mistakes of my past, but I can do something about my future. Paul continues by sharing what his goal is in verse 14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

” The first thing that we must do is admit that we are sinners. Many want to try to fix their problems on their own. They think that their righteous acts will make them acceptable to God. That feeling is our pride taking root. John Stott in his book The Cross of Christ says, “We insist on paying for what we have done. We cannot stand the humiliation of acknowledging our bankruptcy and allowing somebody else to pay for us. The notion that this somebody else should be God himself is too much to take. We would rather perish than repent, rather lose ourselves than humble ourselves.”[i] We must repent of our past and move forward to the prize of Christ Jesus. Every morning we wake up we have the opportunity to share God’s love with someone. We should boldly proclaim what Jesus Christ did for us to bring us back into a right relationship with God the Father. If you have questions about Jesus, feel free to send me a message. I would love to share why the mistakes of my past are no longer a stumbling block for my future! I can forget what is behind me and look to what lies ahead!

[i] Stott, John. The Cross of Christ. Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press. (1986), 162.