For most people, yesterday is just the day before the present one. For the Christian, yesterday can represent much more than just a day; for us, it should be a period in and of time, and most importantly one we no longer answer to. But what if we still feel drawn to things about our yesterday? What if there are elements of who we were in that time (and weren't) that we still feel some temptation or misguided obligation to respond to?? If that's the case, we may still need to remember what yesterday was not only for us but for us.
The Bible says that "if any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things become new" (2 Cor.5:17 KJV). Why is the newness needed? And what does the need for newness say about yesterday?? One thing we see throughout the Bible, especially in the New Testament, is how sin separates us from God, and if our today represents a change and a push towards who we were created and called to be, then that means yesterday represents us not doing those things (Eph.2:1-3). GOD loved us despite who we were, but that doesn't mean who we were didn't need to change if who we were was not who HE purposed us to be. So there needed to be a change. Yesterday wasn't good enough for what HE ordained for today or tomorrow.
Too often, we see a lot of people who haven't completely let go of yesterday. Somehow, someway, there's a piece of what was that's still in their hearts: places they've gone, experiences they've had (even if those experiences endangered them), people they've been with; holding onto those memories is dangerous. What do you think the enemy does in those moments where we allow our flesh to make us believe that GOD had failed us, didn't come through for us or isn't there with us? Immediately, he wants us to look back at what was, where we seemingly had unlimited access to things we wanted (but didn't need), and those affections injure our faith and make us question GOD. Family, yesterday in sin was not better than today with JESUS (Ecc.7:10).
Conversely, our past shouldn't make us cringe about our present and keep us from actually believing what GOD tells us about us, despite how sin and generational curses ran amuck in our actions and decision-making. What we were does not disqualify us from what we're supposed to be; that's a lie from the enemy, but ultimately a choice you and I have to make. Too often, we cringe about our past internally, believing that what we've done makes us unworthy…it does, but not of redemption. JESUS decided that value when HE gave HIS life for us. We don't get to devalue ourselves.
If we find ourselves still tripping over our past (figuratively and literally), then that means it's become a high thing that we've exalted above the knowledge of GOD; that GOD hasn't promised me the same thing HE's promised others in HIS WORDis an imagination that needs to be cast down so that the truth of GOD and what HE says about me can be embraced (2 Cor.10:5-6). If GOD has forgiven us, we need to forgive ourselves (Luke 6:37). Or maybe we have yet to realize that our past is something we can ask forgiveness for? 🤔
We can. We should.
Don't let your past make you tense. Today in CHRIST is better.
GOD bless.
KD
