I heard Chuck Pierce say in a recent message, “A lot of people won’t look back at their past and ask the Lord to bring it up to their present moment. They want to look back at their past and live in the emotions of the past. You have to stand firm in your present moment, looking at your past, then you can define your future.”

Chuck goes on to say that before we can define our future, we have to feel and process the negative emotions from our past, remember the circumstances that created the emotions, face the emotions head on, then let it go. “Forgive” that the mistake was made.

For many of us, our past stalks us like a predator. It whispers negativity and hopelessness, reminds us of our failures, regrets, sins, and the sins committed against us. We think we’ve dealt with it, “forgotten” it, and tried to move on, only to have it rear its ugly head at some later date, reminding us again of that mistake or wrong done to us, dragging us into the abyss of failure and dark regret.

Chuck’s message hit home for me. I’ve just finished two Bible-based studies on moving past regret and taking hold of the dreams and desires God has placed in our hearts. It’s been a year and a half since my life derailed. I’ve felt like it’s time to stop wallowing and start living again. Over the 6 weeks I’ve spent in the studies, I have felt God’s tug on my heart, I’ve spent time in prayer, and set goals with checkpoints to help me move on.

“I’m ready God! Ready to get going again!”

Then, a few days ago, something in the study I’m reading triggered anger and that feeling of hopelessness again. I can’t even tell you exactly what she said, I only know that by the time I’d finished the chapter, the emotions from past events – some events from 40 years ago! – washed over me and threatened to pull me under.  It wasn’t until I stumbled upon Chuck’s message this morning that I realized that rather than really dealing with the past, I’ve been covering it, tucking it away, while still being shackled to it.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Letting go of the past doesn’t mean that we literally forget what happened. We are meant to learn from the past. But remember, learning is different from letting it continue to hold us captive. We have to come to the place where we get before God and let Him do the work of breaking the chains associated with it. We have to confess where there may have been sin, accept God’s forgiveness, forgive those who injured us while allowing God to bring healing to the hurt, and then let God work through the emotions associated with it.

The past is over, but it can have a powerful impact on our present and future if we don’t deal with it. Allowing God to do the work in us will release us from the past pain and hurt and open the door to a better, whole present and bright future in Him. We must die to our past in order for us to have life in the now and the yet to come.