You know, it occasionally takes a while for something to sink in with me.
I just finished this devotional article about a week ago that is going to run in a new magazine in January (I think it’s going to be an awesome magazine for anyone involved in youth ministry…when it debuts, I’ll post a link). The article was on Philippians 3:13. I spoke about that passage last night. And I guess that was the first time God really drove home how incredible a passage that really is.
Paul, of all people, talked about “forgetting what is behind, and moving forward to what is ahead.” Now, the immediate response I got from a teen group to that is, “you mean we’re supposed to just forget the mistakes we’ve made? That’s ok?” I laughed, and felt like saying, you wish! But I think the point of what Paul is trying to say to us here is that we need to learn the lesson from our mistakes, and move on. Know that we are forgiven!! And focus on making today just a little bit better than yesterday, and tomorrow a little bit better than today, and the day after, and the day after. Satan wants to bog us down feeling guilty about the past, God wants us to move past it.
I guess that’s such a huge concept to me because I ran from God for years. I really screwed my life up for several years before I listened to Him. To know that I’m forgiven is amazing to me. I don’t understand why He would want to save me, much less use me for anything. But He’s given me dreams and aspirations that I know are from Him. So I can’t wait to see where it goes. All because He moved me beyond a screwed up past.
So, whatever it is that you’ve done, guys, it’s not too big for Him to forgive. I know we know that cognitively, but I don’t think we really wrap our brains around it emotionally much of the time. Don’t focus on the past. It’s over. Concentrate on the future that He has for you. It’s gonna be a bright one!
Happy Monday everyone!