Don’t allow the pain of your past to blur your vision and steal the blessing God has in store for you in the future. God says, ‘Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing’ (vv. 18-19 NKJV). If you have been wounded by old relationships, God has new ones waiting for you. ‘The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons”’ (1 Samuel 16:1 NKJV). Grieving your losses is healthy. But when you get stuck in the past, it’s always at the expense of the future. There comes a time when you must stop talking about what cannot be changed. Plus, if you keep treating your friends to a history lesson, you will lose them, because your words are creating a climate that’s uncomfortable for them to be in. God’s solution to pain is purpose. God’s solution to old wounds is a commitment to walk in love. C.M. Parkes said, ‘Grief is…the price we pay for love.’ Those we love most can hurt us most. ‘Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him…“seventy times seven”’ (Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV). To recover your peace and joy, you must forgive and keep on forgiving until the past loses its hold on you. When that happens, it’s a new day for you!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.