No Regrets…

FORGIVENESS 

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!”

Reflections: Do you have any regrets? Is there something in your past that you keep revisiting in your mind and wish you could do differently? Ah…if only time travel were a viable option! 🙂 Since it’s not, though, we often tend to revisit our past mistakes in our minds, putting them on instant replay. As we go over these incidents again and again, feelings of guilt, shame, blame, or regret just become more deeply ingrained in our Spirit. In this way, we refuse to forgive ourselves, refuse to move on from our past, even though God may have forgiven our transgression long ago.

The Word says that there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1), for we are set free from our past sin through Christ Jesus, and anyone who is in Christ is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are not who you used to be, no matter what anyone says, and those past mistakes do not define you or hold sway over the amazing things that you can do and accomplish in the future. The old has gone, the new is here, and the sky is the limit!

Do not let your past hold you back. Release it, forgive yourself, and move forward into the new life God has promised! 🙂

Songs: Moving Forward by Israel Houghton/Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Shine Bright! 🙂

Moving Forward…

So, today marks a new day for me, and this blog entry is the first since the completion of my 40-day fast that began in January. As I move forward into this new year, I am excited about what God is doing in my life, and anxious to see where He leads me. I’m expecting big things in the coming weeks and months!

Though the 40 days are over, I believe that I am going to continue journaling and blogging for as long as the Spirit moves me. These reflections have been as cathartic and instructive for me as I hope they have been for others, and I hope that you will continue with me along this journey for the next 325 days…(Note the new blog title! 🙂 )

RELEASE

Philippians 3:13-14 –“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Reflections: I know a lot of people who, like me, are hoping that God will move them forward into bigger and better things in 2014. In this new year, so many individuals are hoping for renewal and restoration, to put the old things behind them and press on towards the mark…the goal(s) that God has put before them.

So often we petition God to help us move forward to a new level in our lives, but how often do we inhibit the process by getting in the way? We hold on to the old things that keep us bound and stuck in the same old place, and wonder why God hasn’t stepped in and lifted us to a higher level. We have to do the work, first, and we have to let go of those people, behaviors, or beliefs that did not serve us in 2013. Are you holding onto habits or relationships that continue to hold you back? What about old grudges or people you have yet to forgive? Whatever is keeping you from moving forward in 2014, now is the time to make a choice to release these past things and press forward to those things which are ahead. Experience the freedom of letting go, and clear the way for God to do a new thing in your life!

Let Go and Let God…

Shine bright!

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Song: Moving Forward by Israel Houghton

Nothing Else Matters…

RELATIONSHIP

Luke 10:41-42 – “’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’”

Reflections: In this world, it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of each day—earning our paychecks, handling our responsibilities, meeting others’ expectations… (My friends and family will tell you that I am particularly guilty of staying far too busy, and it is definitely something I am working on this year). Sometimes, we get so caught up in our day-to-day routines that we forget to stop for a moment and take the time to focus on the things that really matter—our relationships with family, friends, ourselves, and, of course, God.

In the story above, Martha is running to and fro, playing hostess and attending to her guests and household, but she is completely missing out on an amazing opportunity for some “QT” (quality time) with the Son of God.  Mary, on the other hand, takes a break from the work of the day to sit at Jesus’s feet and take advantage of every moment she has to spend in His loving presence. While Martha is filled with stress and anxiety, Mary is at rest, experiencing the peace that comes when we enter into the presence of the Lord.

Jesus responds to Martha’s complaints about Mary by admonishing the former for her busyness and explaining that all of the things she is trying to accomplish—much of it, in her mind, for Jesus—matters so little in comparison to the one thing He actually wants from her: a relationship…her time and attention. Did you catch that? Relationship matters more than all of our good works. And when we spend that quality time nurturing our relationship with God, we are more prepared for Him to guide us to the work that He feels is most important for us to do. He will help us prioritize and work smarter, not harder. 🙂

If you, like me, often find yourself too busy to attend to the relationship(s) that matter most, it’s time to take a step back and reprioritize. God did not intend for us to be so busy that our work and activities constantly take center stage. Take a break. Ask God for guidance about how to use your time and energy more efficiently, so that you can focus on the things that are truly important in this life.  

As one oh so wise young man once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

🙂

See Also:

James 4:8 – “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”

Song: Nothing Else Matters by Israel Houghton

Shine Bright!

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!