LOOK!!!!

Do you have a past?  Are there things in your past that cause you pain, shame, guilt, embarrassment?  My past is LOADED with such things!  Most days I am astounded that God has let me live this long.  I read a Facebook post from a wonderful friend who shared: "You can’t re-write your past but with God’s good grace you can dust off and climb mountains!" Talk about a wonderful wake up call!

I spent many many years praying that God would forgive me for my past, yet the guilt and shame just got more and more overwhelming.  Finally, I decided I needed to talk with a trusted friend.  That friend listened carefully, thought for a moment, and then asked "Did God teach you anything through all this?"  BAM!  Right between the eyes!!!  God uses our experiences to shape us and teach us and prepare us for the purpose He has for us.

Our enemy will use our past against us to try to make us so guilt ridden that we just quit trying.  BUT...when we focus on God's love for us, we put the past behind us, learn from it, and close the door on it!  Let's make the conscious decision to look toward the future with the love God has filled our hearts with and BE the shining light to show others God's plans are truly worth striving for!