The apostle Paul admitted he had a HUGE sinful past. He spent a large portion of his life persecuting Christians for the very same beliefs he would later die proclaiming as truth. We all have a story of something that we did, or something that was done to us, that no matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to forget.
We can find hope in Philippians 3:13-14 ~
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Life Application~
Once Paul walked away from his past, he was free to walk into God’s grace. God worked through Paul as he led hundreds, if not thousands, along this path of grace. While it’s important to remember how our past experiences have shaped our character, our ability to walk forward into new experiences greatly hinges upon keeping our eyes focused on the path ahead. The more we look back, the greater our chances of stumbling. The one thing that matters more than what we did in our past or what happened to us, is what we allow God to do through us today.
Prayer~
Heavenly Father, thank you for using everything in my past to better prepare me for today. Search my heart and help me to let go of any hurt, regret, anger, fear, doubt or anything else keeping me from fully accepting your love and grace. Free me from my past, so I can be who you created me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
By: Angel Slawinski
