I feel that sometimes, the main excuse being that we are human, we allow our past to dictate our future.
We talk so much about things in our past we don’t like, whether it is legalism or liberalism. We say how much we hate judgment. We have all felt judged in one form or another, whether because we were legalistic or liberal. The thing is that not matter where we are in life SOMEONE is going to think we should do something different. We can’t let that define us.
Sometimes I feel that people are SO turned off to people telling them “Do this, not that” that they don’t ever listen to anyone. That is not right.
Sometimes people have felt so judge by those same people who say, “Do this do that” that they start living their life like everyone is judging them and out to get them. In turn, we become judgmental ourselves.
I have found myself doing this. I get so turned off to judgment that I jump to conclusions (aka – judge others) thinking that everyone is judging me. It is a vicious cycle. We become the person we hate.
God has really been showing me what love is recently. That he was judged, mocked, ridiculed and despised. For some he was too liberal and for others to legalistic. Jesus was judged. Yet he did not go out and tell everybody of how he was wronged, he didn’t update his facebook status or blog with these “raging feelings” (not that there was facebook or blog, but you know what I mean). He simply turned the other cheek and showed those people love.
Why? How? Because He knew who He was. He knew who His father was. And the thing is, we do too. We are joint heirs to the throne. We are complete in Him. We are adopted, loved and redeemed. What other people think and say does NOT define who we are. So the question that keeps ringing in my head is WHY DO WE LET IT DEFINE US??? Why do we hold on to hurts of the past and not let them go? We say “It is so hard”, “I was so hurt” and “It’s not that easy”. But the thing is that the Lord has provided us every grace and all the strength necessary to move on, forgive and in turn love those people back.
Don’t let the past define your future. If you do then you are not taking advantage of all that Christ offers you. You are a prisoner to your past which is far worse then whatever it is that you hate; because you are giving into what you hate.
So ask yourself “Who is Christ to me?”
In church last night we talked about this and 11 attributes of God:
1.) Loving – 1 Jn 4:10, Jn 3:16, 1Cor. 13:4-8
2.) Caring – 1Pet 5:7, Matt. 6:26
3.) Forgiving – Heb. 10:7, Col. 1:4
4.) Compassionate – Deut. 4:31, Ps. 103.45
5.) Giving – Rom 8:32, Jm. 1:17
6.) Understanding – Job 12:13, PS 139:1-2
7.) Accepting – Rom. 15:7, Ps 139:1-6
8.) Pursuing – Lk. 19:10, 1 Tim 1:15, 2:4
9.) Approachable – Is 1:18, Prov 3:5-6
10.) Righteous/Just – Heb 12:1-6, Jer. 9:23-24
11.) Sovereign – Ps 103:19, Rev. 1:8
The thing is that you are an heir and you are made in the image of God. Therefore, all of these attributes are made available to us through Him and you are able to extend the same grace and love that the Lord so graciously extended to you.
Instead of living in the past and letting it define you, let the attributes of God define you and push you forward. Know who you are in Christ and live it out!
3 comments:
EXACTLINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Good word! Thanks for sharing :)
Lauren, this is a great post and was a blessing to me to read--particularly your comment about Christ knowing who he was in God. I agree entirely. I'm really excited about this because something I very recently realized is just how controversial Jesus was...and how NOT passive he was! He got soooo much flack from so many sides (loved the too legalistic, too liberal statement), yet he stayed focused on the will of his Father, which he came to earth to accomplish. Oh, to be that kind of person!
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