My Past But God

My Past But God

1 Corinthians 15:9-11

Question: Do you spend too much time in your past?

The past can leave any person dealing with a mental montage of what ifs, regrets, and shame. We regret not making that phone call, what would have happened if I had not said that to my friend, or man, I had not made a mistake at that party. The past can be a hard place to navigate for any person, and if we are not careful we will make it our dwelling place. As Christians, the dwelling of the past can lead us into stagnation, devastation, and destruction. 

The hard part of moving forward in Christ is forgiving ourselves, forgiving others, and relinquishing our shame. To do that we need to remember that we are more than conquerors in Christ. It is in Christ that we can become new creations, gain newfound purpose and worth, and begin a journey beyond the chains of our past. The enemy wants to keep us in the past, but God.

1 Corinthians 15:9-11: “For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.”

1. Redemption 

The first step of moving past our past is to recognize that God has redefined our worth. I want you to understand that the path of becoming a Christian does not mean we have to be self-destructive. It actually requires self-reflection in knowing that in ourselves we cannot be made right with God. He has such high standards that our redemption is in Jesus taking our place and becoming the atonement of our sins. We must deny ourselves and begin to flourish through the redemption we have through the blood of Christ. We cannot redeem ourselves through our own actions but only through our choice to accept the gift of Christ.

2. By Grace Alone

I love the song Amazing Grace. The first verse says, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found. Was blind, but now I see.”

Paul, like many of us B.C. (Before Christ), was blinded by his own desires and ambition. He was working hard to defend the faith, but in all accounts he was hurting the furthering of God’s plan. What we can learn is that God does not need us, but we need Him. He chooses to use us in His work because we can be living proof of the work of God’s grace. Through His grace, we all can become new.

3. Unity

The Three Musketeers had the motto, “all for one, one for all.” The idea behind this was that they all fought for one cause, and that one person would fight to defend everyone. As Christians, we must carry this ideology in how we push forward in the faith. We cannot get caught up in unnecessary arguments but continue to press onward underneath the premise that God’s grace is for everyone and we each work to ensure all know that God’s grace is for them. 

God’s grace and mercy is bigger and stronger than the weight of your past. You can find redemption in the grace of God. I encourage you to get connected with a church that preaches the Gospel and promotes God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

Blessings,

Nick Engleman 

If you are wanting to pursue a life in Christ or have questions about Jesus or today’s writing, please feel free to contact me at nengleman902@gmail.com, or 417-808-1049.