LETTING GO OF THE PAST: New Year’s Reminder 1
Happy New Year! Although the calendar has changed, some of our environments have not changed. A New Year is always an exciting time to sit down with the Lord and allow Him to examine our lives to remove any hindrances that may be impeding our relationship with Him. If you are like me, I do not ever want anything or anyone to keep me from enjoying all that my Father, my Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have for me as I live in them. So, today’s blog, reminder one is “Letting Go of the Past.” This short story illustrates the importance of letting go.
When Emily was three years old, her grandfather gave her a little plant and told her to take diligent care of it. Emily and her grandfather bought a flowerpot, planted soil, then grew it and placed it on the mantle in her house.
Every day, Emily got a chair, climbed up on it to check on it to see how it was doing. She watered the plant just as her grandfather instructed her, only when the soil felt dry. Emily was immensely proud of her little plant as it stretched its arms from the little pot and draped around the mantle and down the sides of the fireplace.
When Emily turned four years old, new neighbors moved in next door. They had a daughter named Kay; she was the same age as Emily. Emily and Kay became good friends and played every day. Eventually, Emily forgot all about the plant her grandfather had given her. Soon the leaves turned yellow, then brown, and withered to the floor.
One night, the phone rang; the doctor from the hospital called Emily’s mother to inform her that her father had gone to heaven to live with God. When Emily’s mother told her about her grandfather, Emily got into her mother’s arms and cried. Emily cried to sleep for days.
After grieving the loss of her grandfather, Emily noticed the plant her grandfather had given her had turned brown, and there were no leaves on it. Emily panicked. Emily said, “I must save my grandfather’s little plant; it can’t die and go to heaven too!” Emily poured water on it every day and even replanted it. Nothing happened. Emily did not tell her mother what she was doing, only her little friend Kay, even though her mother knew what was going on. After many attempts to save the little plant, Emily finally told her mother, “Mommy, I tried everything to save grandpa’s plant, but I could not save it. I was busy playing with Kay, and I forgot all about the plant, now it is dead!” With tears in her eyes, Emily asked, “Mommy do you think grandpa is mad with me in heaven?” Her mother took little Emily in her arms and just held her. Then Emily’s mother said, “Emily, put on your coat, bring your little plant; I want to take you somewhere.” Emily and her mother got into their car, then she and mother drove to a beautiful nursery where there were thousands of flowers and plants.
Then her mother opened the door of the vehicle, took Emily by the hands, and said, “Emily, grandpa left all of these plants to you; they are yours. Grandpa owned this nursery, where he grew and cared for these plants. He understood when he gave you the plant, you were only three years old, and many things in life would distract you, but he also knew if one plant dies, there are many more plants to replace it. You are far more important than any little plant.” Then mother said, “You must first let go of the dead plant, give it to me so we can bury it together to make room in your heart and hands for the New One.”
Like little Emily in our story, Letting Go of something or someone precious to us is painful. It is like amputating your arm or leg while being awake without anesthesia. I know this from many experiences. Without death, to the past, there is no NEW life in the present… YOU REMAIN STUCK IN THE PAIN. Without saying goodbye to yesterday, there is no welcoming a new today. It is more comfortable to mix the old with the new for fearing the unknown. Even though trying to save old patterns and ways of doing things can feel more comfortable, bad situations and relationships can be toxic to our emotions and spirits. Yes, familiarity is far more accepting than the novel, wouldn’t you agree?
Life is all about change. For this reason, it is so important to be able to let go of all the pain and sorrows that we carry around on our shoulders. Letting go and moving on helps us to discover new opportunities. It is also beneficial towards our own healing. In fact, you will never fully heal when you are not able to let go.
Apostle Paul had a lot to let go of when he gave his life to Jesus Christ. He had a history of persecuting and killing Christians, of which he was now a part. For those reasons, he was feared by his Christian brothers and sisters. As Saul, he was a proud and perfect Jewish leader filled with knowledge of the Jewish laws and customs. He had a reputation among his fellow Jewish community to uphold. Saul had done many evil things in his life and destroyed the lives of countless people. But when he gave his life to Jesus Christ and was born-again, our Father gave Saul a NEW NAME and identity. Paul was changed and was not the man he formally was. Many might have held him to his past mistakes and sins, but Jesus had forgiven him for all of them and set him on a NEW path of life. Apostle Paul reminded us in Philippians 3:13 -14 Amplified Bible.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul discovered the secret to moving forward is to forget (neglect thinking about the past, no longer care for what happened yesterday, lose out of mind). Remove the rearview mirror from your life. How do you do that Tresca, I have tried? I want to share a process that has been extremely helpful personally and to help others over the many years.
THE PROCESS
Get a sheet of paper or write in your journal your account of the situation with which you are struggling. (Dear Jesus, I am stuck, I feel…. I try to… I thought you would… Now I… I expected…) share the grief, loss, pain, anger, fear, hurt, disappointment, whatever they may be. Get it all out. Jesus already knows how you feel. He wants you to share it with Him.
When you are ready to move forward, acknowledge to the Lord what you want to do with this situation. Hold on to it or Let it Go. (You have a choice but think about how much pain this is causing in your life and how you cannot find peace or rest in this situation).
- If you are ready to move forward, Forgiveness must take place. Jesus has already forgiven you and others of ALL their sins and offenses. Forgive others, the Lord and yourself, for the painful past?
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- Please write down the offenses and how they made you feel.
- Choose to forgive them for the pain, hurt, neglect, not meeting your expectations without expecting any apologies in return.
- Tell Jesus, I give the offenses to You (He is their judge, not you). Release the person from the debt of owing you anything.
- Grief and Loss– Write a letter to your loved one or pet and tell them how much you miss them. Recall the good times and tough times you shared. Forgive yourself and them for any pain you caused each other. When you have shared your heart, then you must say, “I release you into the arms of Jesus now, I must move on from this place. I love you. You ARE HIS.” AMEN
- When you have shared your heart with the Lord, then willingly say to the Lord. This circumstance, loved one, whatever it may be, is in YOUR HANDS NOW… I trust you, Lord Jesus, to complete the work in my heart that we just begun. AMEN
- Throw away, shred, and discard the letter you wrote.
My Beloved, I am free today and whole in so many areas of my soul because I chose to LET GO and allow Jesus Christ to fill the painful rooms of my heart with HIMSELF! Where there was pain, anger, or fear presently there is joy and peace. Thank you, Lord!
Enjoy Christ, Enjoy Life