Welcome to my blog and the last Monday of October! Can you believe it? I took a “blog break” over the weekend to take care of some other responsibilities, and to spend time with my darling hubby.
Arriving at this last week – and only two months left in the year – makes me reflect on the year that’s nearly gone, both good and bad. It’s comforting to know that we can learn from our past, but we don’t have to stay stuck in the past, reliving or rehearsing our faults.
Here’s the devotional thought for this last Monday in October…
“A lot of people let the past dictate their future.
Don’t do that!!
Get past your past.
We all have a past,
but we also have a future.
We are said to be new creatures
when we enter into a relationship with Christ.
Old things pass away.
We have an opportunity for a new beginning.
God makes arrangements for each of us to have a fresh start,
but we must be willing to let go of the past and go on.
We make a way for the new
by believing what God says about it.
Don’t let your past failures
leave you hopeless about your future success.
Your future has no room in it for the failures of the past.
Just because you have failed at something
does not make you a failure.
Whatever Satan has stolen through deception,
God will restore doubled,
if you are willing to press forward, forgetting the past.
You have to let go in order to go on!”
–Joyce Meyer in “New Day New You”
~~*~~
My reflections:
This devotional and others like it make me think how it sounds good to say “leave the past behind” but it’s not always so easy to do! Sometimes it’s challenging to take the good, learn from the bad, but disconnect the feelings that go along with those events of the past. Yet I know we can’t truly grow and move forward if we’re still chained to the past.
~~*~~
So what are YOUR thoughts?
Do you find it easy to let go of the past and move forward? Can you take the good and learn from the bad, to have a brighter future?
KleeBanks
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T.O. Weller
I can let the past go when it comes to my day-to-day life, and then someone from my family visits and they bring the past with them. It can take me up to 2 days to recover from such visits, which tells me I still have work to do.
My feeling is that I am absorbing their issues rather than projecting my presence/presents. I allow it in rather than giving out.
I’ve just been through a particularly difficult visit. Thank you for the reminder!
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Robin Rue (@massholemommy)
This year has had its ups and downs for me, but overall, it was more on the positive side.
26 . Oct . 2015michelle
I have a hard time letting go so that is constantly in prayers to ask God to help me let go
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Heidi G
I think letting things go is probably soemthing EVERYONE struggles with at some point or another in their lives.
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Claire
I sometimes struggle with not letting the past rule my present but I’m not giving up and will keep trying 🙂
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Rachel Mouton
I love your devotions! They really help me stay focused 🙂
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tara pittman
I like that my future has no room for my past. Great encouragement.
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Ana De- Jesus
I agree don’t be defined by your past but let your future be the stepping stone to success.
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Natasha
I’ve been working (actively forcing myself at times) to focus my thoughts, my attitudes to the positive and you know what – life is better! Even bad days are better 🙂
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Life as a Convert
Not only when you enter a relationship with Christ, but every single day. Tho, I am guilty of holding onto some things from my past.
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Claudette
A great devotional. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
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victoria
I really love your devotions. and this caught in my eye We make a way for the new and it is true
27 . Oct . 2015Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly
Actually my blog began with two goals in mind, I was going through a dark time and I sought ‘positive quotes’ and while the amount of quotes I found were staggering, the quotes were just regurgitated by other people or at best added to a pretty graphic but there was nothing beyond the quote, nothing that applied them to daily life, so I started a blog with daily affirmational meditations to help people ‘go past the quote’ I named my blog Ascending Butterfly because that is how I perceive us all ‘on an upwards journey’. I had no idea just how many people were seeking the same support, something that wasn’t just a quote, something with more ‘meat’. Glad to have found your blog today, encouraging words indeed!
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rika
I have no room for my past… too much problem to think about, can’t bring my past 🙂
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Elizabeth O.
I love this. If we keep thinking about our past we will never get the life we want, instead we’ll be to afraid to live.
27 . Oct . 2015R U S S
While sometimes the past can be annoying ( lol ), I think it’s there for one sole purpose – and that is to teach us life lessons to make us better individuals.
Without the past, we won’t have a gauge or point of comparison of where we should be doing better so while it could be painful at times, it’s okay to look back once in a while and we’ll be reminded of how much better & brighter that future will be.
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Lexie Lane
Love this.post because this was very meaningful. Past is past.
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Mykidsguide
I love the quote. It’s important to value what you’ve been through but never let it control us!
27 . Oct . 2015Chanelle
I feel I do a pretty good job of making my past work for me. It is a reminder that what was meant to destroy me only made me better.
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Jolleen Ruiz
Love the post. It’s just not healthy holding on to past hurts. I’ve had to go through this with family, and with friends. And it’s really hard to let it go sometimes. But I agree, you just gotta do it!
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Shann
It’s hard for me to let go of the past, but I make a conscience effort to do it.
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Beth@FrugalFroggie
I am good and letting go. I hold on to the knowledge though to keep on learning.
27 . Oct . 2015Angie Scheie
It can be really hard to get past your past, but I think if we channel it correctly it WILL make us stronger. The scars will always be there, but in time they can represent something (with Christ’s help) that we overcame.
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Bonnie Gean
Hi Karen,
I needed to hear this message today. You can’t imagine how this year has gone, but I am grateful to know that I can leave it all behind and look toward the future.
You’re a blessing to have in my life. Thank you for being there for me!
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Liz Mays
Thinking positively is the best thing. I tend to be a realist, but with a positive frame of mind!
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Erika
Staying positive is hard but necessary.
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brianna
I actually tweeted earlier today don’t get stuck in your past, but never forget from where you came. 🙂
http://unveiledandrevealed.com
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ashleigh
There is some things that I just will not get over. But I have learned to move on more.
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