CAUGHT UP IN THE PAST

“Somewhere In Time," starring Christopher Reeves is a movie filmed on Mackinac Island.  It’s about a young man who was able to put himself into a deep sleep and travel backwards in time.  He met and fell in love with a woman before he came back to the present.  In a desperate attempt to get back to her, he became caught somewhere in time. 

Many Christians are in the same situation by being caught up in the past.  Their day by day existence is not directed at the present, or to the future, but deals only in the past.  They blame their unhappiness on someone, or something that happened earlier in their lives.  They are in bondage to the past and cannot seem to break the chains that bind them to it.

I have heard many Christians say they believe they are under a ‘curse’ brought on by previous family members.  I’ve also heard well-known Christian leaders preach and teach about the brothers and sisters being under a curse.  That’s nonsense and it’s also an excuse for not letting go of the past.  The Christians were redeemed from any curse when Christ died on the cross.  “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”  Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal. 3:10-14)

There are certain genes passed on from generation to generation and may cause us physical problems; certain behavioral problems that surface may be due to how we were raised.  However, these are not curses.  We may not have control over the physical, but we certainly do over our behavior.  We all have the freedom to make choices; either good or bad, and can control our behavior. 

Being caught up in the past is an inspiration of Satan and a devilish tool to deceive the Christian.  Jesus warns us of the dangers of falling into this hellish pit.  “Jesus said to him “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9:62)  You have been bought with a price and sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. (Eph. 1:13-14 & 4:30)  This means that from that day forward, everything in your past has been wiped out and you have been sealed so it can never come back to you.  The Lord tells us in Isa. 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”  Praise God, we are free from the past! 

Don’t continue to look back.  If you are born again, you don’t have a past; it’s been blotted out.  Forget what happened to you before.  Forget what someone did to you.  Forget what you did to someone else.  Live today as though it were your last day on this earth.  You have a future with Jesus Christ and that future is secure.  “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God  in Christ.” (Phil 3:13-14)  If you continue to dwell in the past, it will destroy you.

 In Genesis we find the story of Lot, who lived in Sodom with his wife and two daughters.  God was about to destroy the city, but sent angels to help Lot and his family escape first. The angels warned the family to escape to the mountains, and above all, not to look back.  As they fled into the mountains, God rained brimstone and fire on the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Lot’s wife was disobedient and turned to look back and the Bible says she turned into a pillar of salt. (Gen. 19:17-26)  Why did she look back?  She did not want to let go of the past and in that sense was longing for her old life, and therefore, died. 

Joseph was another person in the Old Testament whose past was tragic.  His mother died when he was quite young and then his brothers, because of jealousy, sold him into the slavery of Egypt.  While there, Joseph trusted God in all things and God blessed him making him one of the greatest men in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. Due to a famine, Joseph’s brothers came to beg for food, not realizing that he was their brother.  After a time, Joseph gave them food, but was not ready to forgive them.  He finally revealed that he was the brother they sold into slavery.  He then kissed them all and wept over them, telling them not to grieve for what they had done, for the Lord’s hand was in all that happened.  (Gen. 45:1-15)

We see from these two accounts, both Lot’s wife and Joseph looked back.  The difference was that one became bitter and the other better.  Dwelling on the past is a form of bondage.  You were once set free from bondage, like Lot’s wife who was delivered, but turned back to destruction.  Gal. 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Give it up before it destroys you as it did Lot’s wife.

Joseph, on the other hand, chose to serve God the best way he could.  He could have become bitter over what his brothers did to him, but he CHOSE to forget and forgive the past and become better.  Because of it, God blessed him many times over and Joseph’s name was known over the land of Egypt. 

Those who are caught in the past cry and complain that God doesn’t do anything for them.  How can he?  They are so bound up in bitterness and bondage; he can’t get to them to bless them. They feel life isn’t fair because of everything that happened to them.  They are caught somewhere between the past and the present; not looking toward the wonderful future God has planned for them. 

There is only one difference between those who are blessed and those who aren’t.  They may both have a tragic past, however, one chooses to not look back, but press forward and serve God. The other, although their hand was once on the plow, chose to look back and was soon lost in self pity. 

"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8: 36)  The chains of the past that have you bound can be broken easily, while freedom is already yours.  Even God doesn’t want to be caught up in your past. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Heb. 8:12)  If God doesn’t want your past, what do you want with it? 

Joshua challenged the Israelites, asking them to make a choice of whom they would serve; the gods of their fathers (their past), or the Lord God Almighty?  “And if it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)   How about you?  Are you serving your past......or your future?

This being a new year seems to be a great time to put the past behind you for good; let God take care of it.  You can’t change what was done, but you can make plans for a better future.  With God guiding your footsteps it can only become better. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)