It's All Good: 12 Devotions to Embrace Your NowSample

Moving Past Your Past

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. TITUS 3:5

You probably started this plan because it's about overcoming the power of your past - which is great! We all want that. It’s true that you don’t have to hold on to the pains of your past. Where you are today, in this very moment, in this very spot, at this very time . . . is okay. But if you don’t process the pains of your past in a healthy way, the pains of your past will hold on to you. You might want to read that line again. Because it’s just true.

That’s why we’re starting out talking about the past somewhat in a devotional designed to help you past it (every pun intended!). The only way for each of us to live completely present, which is our goal in these pages together, is to learn from, be grateful for, and then release the pains of our past in a manner that they are free to go. No way around this one, unfortunately. It’s unavoidable, however, un-fun it may feel right now.

If you are that special someone who has already released your pains and processed your emotions, then great! Skip ahead. But most of us have not done that yet, so we’re going to spend a few pages looking at why we should, and how. Because far too many of us have allowed our emotions to stack up within. This only hardens our hearts over time. Rather than address our uncomfortable emotions, we’ve ignored them. It’s easier, after all, to hang your hopes on inspirational posts that tell you, “It’s a new day” and you should just “move on.”

But just as you could never “move on” from dirty dishes piled in your sink by simply wishing them away, neither can you wish away your uncomfortable emotions or past experiences. All emotions must be processed in order to loosen their grip on your right-now moments.

You process your emotions by acknowledging them, accepting them (as opposed to judging), allowing yourself to truly feel them (this doesn’t take nearly as long as you may think), learning from them, and then letting them go. When you do that, you can move on. But if you don’t, you’ll wind up with a bit of a smelly and stained soul that might require some deep scrubbing. Thankfully, God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help in this washing and renewing process.

Jesus, let Your Spirit wash and renew my emotions so that I can enjoy my present moments more fully. Amen.