What Is It That HAUNTS Us? (Part 3)

Read Part 1 HERE & Part 2 HERE

 

 

 

One definition of the word "haunt" is to visit frequently.

Are we haunted by the things in our life that we could of and should of done better, or,  by the bad choices we have made? 

  

In the last two posts we've looked at how dwelling on past mistakes could:

HARM OUR WALK WITH THE LORD...

HINDER OUR TESTIMONY ...

STEAL OUR JOY...

DICTATE HOW WE DEAL WITH  THE PRESENT

...now for the 3rd and final part of this series

 

Looking at the past reminds me of houseguests and the length of time they stay in our home.  Contrast the guest that comes for a visit with the one that permanently moves into the guest bedroom!  One is a pleasant stay, while the other could put a heavy strain on a relationship! 

 



In this, the last part of this series, I want to make the distinction between revisiting and dwelling in the past.  I love the way Ruth Graham (the daughter of Billy & Ruth Graham) addresses this in her book,  In Every Pew Sits A Broken Heart,

"Revisiting the dark chapters of our lives can be a painful experience...Even glancing in the direction of some of our memories can open up a world of  hurt... Yet there are times in life when God gently draws us back to our places of pain and invites us to take another look.  He does not call us back to aggravate our wounds or cause us emotional harm.  When God calls,  He calls with good purpose; and when He urges us back to a hard place, He does so in order to heal us.   

Only then can we truly move on."

 

Here are links to Ruth Graham's

WEBSITE:   http://www.ruthgrahamministries.org/  

and BLOG:    http://ruthgraham.wordpress.com/

 

God often will take our minds back to past mistakes in order to teach us valuable spiritual lessons that, quite honestly, we wouldn't learn otherwise.  Learning from our mistakes is a positive step in our daily walk with the Lord.  These lessons reveal to us just how much the Lord loves us, cares for us, and wants what is best for us.  

 

 

On the other hand, God has never intended His children to dwell in the past.  To dwell means to take up residence in, and like the houseguest making the guestroom his own, it inevitably will lead to disaster.   The past cannot be changed no matter how much effort we use trying to make it so.  We can benefit from the inspired words Paul wrote:

  "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,

and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

I press toward the mark for the prize of the

 high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 3:13,14

  

This is the final truth:  Unless God leads you back to learn from the mistakes you've made, leave them in the past.  It is my prayer that you will follow the Lord as He leads you away from the past that haunts you and forward in your walk with Him.