We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.Portrait-of-sad-woman-37147576

If you find yourself feeling like you can’t let go of the past, you probably feel like a prisoner at times.  Hanging on to our sins and never forgiving ourselves can be an awful existence.  Sometimes, it becomes a constant nagging and painful thorn in the side that just won’t go away.

Many times you can stuff things down deep inside and fool yourself that you’ve gotten over it; that you have in fact forgiven yourself.  You go along with only an occasional memory of those times you’d love to never think of again.  Then, all of a sudden, something triggers those memories and it’s like you never moved forward at all.

If you have been reading my blog series on “Fear”, you are aware that we will be using the book, “What Women Fear” by Angie Smith in my upcoming women’s retreat; SERENITY.  This post is the 4th in this series.  There is a paragraph in the book where she states:

“… You have probably had a moment where you sat in a group of people with whom you don’t really feel like you belong.  I am convinced that the enemy preys on our memories and regrets, and taunts us with the many ways in which we have failed God.”

Okay, true confessions time here.  I, personally, have had MANY times of feeling like I don’t belong.  Believing that my horrific poor life choices disqualified me from being in the very places that God Himself put me!  I’m not kidding.  In fact, it tries to happen to this very day.  There are great things, life and business opportunities, that I know are God-provided, but I wonder “why, me?”

For me, it’s no longer a matter of concern that my past will catch up with me.  I’ve become very transparent about my past.  I do find myself wondering why God places me with people that seem “out of my league”, if you will.  How silly is that?  And, a whole other blog post!

My point is, I have very much lived in times where I feared the dreaded, “what if they find out?”  It took me a long time to forgive myself for the things I had done and even longer to allow others to know.

One of the saddest things about hanging on to the past is how much it robs us of peace, joy and the ability to live the life we were designed for.  The bitter roots from our past can run really deep, but they can be cut out.  God is willing and able, but He wants you to be a willing participant.

Romans 8:28 says, “He makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him.”  When we stop hanging on to old mistakes, and start letting Him work those things together for good, we can start living full and free.

This is HUGE in all of my retreats.  Letting go of junk and making life changes for good.  Stripping off the burdens and setting out on a new path.  Putting down ourselves and lifting God up.

I hope you are able to take advantage of the SERENITY RETREAT Spring Special Discount currently running.  It’s for 10% off and expires March 20.  My Signature Retreats only happen twice a year and are limited in the number of participants.  I have been so incredibly blessed to watch women renew and refocus through getting away for just a few days.

Click here and you will be taken to the full retreat information page.

 

What Women Fear

Debbie Luxton

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