Is It Time to Move On?

Are there things in your life you need to let go of? Is it time to leave your past- in the past? Do you need to release your need to control your circumstances or let go of a toxic relationship? Here are some compelling reasons to move on.

We’ve all heard the saying, “let go and let God” — right? Speaking from experience, it’s easier said than done. But, the more I practice this principle in my own life, the easier it gets.

It’s virtually impossible to walk through life without getting bumped and bruised along the way. As a result, we often drag along baggage from our past and allow it to pile up. Before we even realize it, we are hindered, held back and sometimes overwhelmed by the weight of all we carry.

As a child, I was completely unaware of the load I was collecting. I carried childhood hurt and insecurities into my teenage years and piled on additional hurt and scars as I navigated adolescence. When I was nineteen, I was saved, yet still had no clue I needed to relinquish my past to embrace freedom for my future. For the next twenty years, I grew in my love for God and my knowledge and understanding of His love and His word. All while hiding my brokenness, holding onto my past, and pretending to have it all together.

The “Me Too” movement is spreading throughout our country these days and while I think it’s imperative we acknowledge the hurt and the unnecessary baggage we’ve acquired, I firmly believe it’s also imperative we move past our pain and consider the next step — God’s desire for our healing, restoration, and freedom.

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:11 (NLT)

God wants us to bring our sin and suffering into the open where we can be healed. He wants us to free ourselves from our past, so we can fully embrace our future with Him. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in his letter to the Philippians.

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

Another great role model is found in the life of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37 through 45. Joseph acknowledged the unfair treatment he received and the dire predicaments he found himself in, but he never let his past keep him from his future. He remained confident in God‘s providence and power, trusted God completely, and embraced every opportunity to stand firm in his faith. Joseph always allowed God to use his circumstances as opportunities for kingdom growth.

When we let go of our personal agendas, our preconceived ideas, our apprehensiveness, and when we stop listening to the negative voices of our past- we allow God to use us as an instrument in his almighty hand and we give Him the freedom to mold us into the people He ultimately created us to be.

Like clay in the potter’s hand, we reveal more and more of God’s beauty and majesty as we fully surrender our lives holy to Him.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.

”Romans 8:1-3 (NLT)