How long should we hold onto yesterday?

[Dave Slayer]

How long should we hold onto yesterday? In other words, should we let the past control us? Sometimes I have trouble with that. It can be difficult to move on sometimes because of things that happened in the past. What is the best way to deal with that and heal from that? Also, what is Biblical?

 

[Paidion]

If God has delivered you from your past sin, and does not hold you accountable for them, why should they hold you back in any way? As we all know, the past cannot be changed. But what we are NOW can be changed. I believe all of God's judgments are remedial. He doesn't punish us for our past sins; he corrects our present character. ---- just like a good parent. A good parent doesn't punish his child for what he did a year ago, even if that parent just found out yesterday. Rather, he corrects him for what he did recently, in the hope that his character will change and his behaviour improve.

For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:6-11 RSV

 

[handy]

I agree Paidion.

And then there is the viewpoint that it isn't past sin that one is stumbling over, but the sins that others committed against one. In my 30's I had to drag out some stuff that had happened to me as a child and deal with it on an adult level. I had to acknowledge the evil that one who should have been trustworthy perpertrated against me as a young girl and the failure of some to protect me as they should have.

It was painful and it required going back and forgiving, with all my adult insight as to how bad it was, and then letting go.

Hard, but if I can do it, anyone can.

 

[lovely]

If God has delivered you from your past sin, and does not hold you accountable for them, why should they hold you back in any way? As we all know, the past cannot be changed. But what we are NOW can be changed. I believe all of God's judgments are remedial. He doesn't punish us for our past sins; he corrects our present character. ---- just like a good parent. A good parent doesn't punish his child for what he did a year ago, even if that parent just found out yesterday. Rather, he corrects him for what he did recently, in the hope that his character will change and his behaviour improve.

For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:6-11 RSV

Paidion, what a blessing to read this post. A good reminder. Thank you.

 

[Vic C.]

When I ponder this question, I am reminded that the Adversary delights in us lamenting over things we have done in the past.