"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3:13-15 (NIV)
Have you ever wanted to make a difference in someone else’s life or wanted to straighten up something in your own life but then thought to yourself “I just can’t do it, I always mess it up.” Or “I’ve been this way for a long time, I can’t change now.” You are not alone. The good news about this is that it’s not true. These thoughts are an attack from the evil one himself. The truth is that you can change, as a matter of fact the bible promises that change to us. Being a person that has a rather “questionable” past, I am prone to thinking that I can never shake it or really make a difference. I can go to church, or read the bible, or read an inspiring book, or see a “Hallmark” commercial (just kidding about the commercial) and get inspired to make a positive change. When I get inspired like that, I think to myself “I want to do that, I want to make a difference.” Then all of a sudden, the next thought that comes rushing in to my head is the memory of my past failures.
Since I’ve been a Christian for a while my past holds both successes and failures, but usually the failures are more predominant. Why is that? Because Satan knows that if he reminds me of them, I may listen to him and not make the change I want to make. Every time I get into a predicament like this I have a choice. I can choose to let my past failures hold me down or I can let the passion for change spur me on to reach the goal. Since God is the one who gave me the passion for the change in the first place what do you think He wants me to do? The events that follow are determined by the choice I make. If I choose to let my past hold me down then I have one more failure to add to my long list. If I choose to follow my passion, no matter what Satan tells me, God blesses me. If God asked me to do something and I do it, He WILL bless me. He will do the same for you too. God wants to bless us, Jesus said that He came so that we could have life and have it to the full. Do you think God wants us laying around worried about our past? Does that sound like “living life to the full” to you? It doesn’t to me either. God is calling us to change and grow in Him each and every day. He wants us to make the decision to move in Him. He gives us a passion to change for Him. What did you do with the passion God gave you today? What are you going to do with the passion He gives you tomorrow? Will you choose to let your past hold you down or your passion to spur you on? I know what God is rooting for. No matter what Satan tells you, God is rooting for you to press on. If you are in Him, you will be blessed.
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