Isaiah 43:18-19
Do not remember the former things. Nor consider the things of old. Behold! I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Part of working Step # 3 of the Twelve Steps is the decision to turn will and life over to the care of God. In that package of will and life that we turn over, is a portion that some can't seem to release their grip on. What would that be? The past.
When I refer to the past, of course I am talking about the memories and thoughts of the things that were done under the influence of whatever our drug of choice was. But more than that, I am talking about the emotions that come up when we dwell on the past. The feelings of guilt and shame that can stop any recovery dead in its tracks. I always refer to these two emotions as the toxic twin destroyers that can keep a person from moving forward in recovery.
Guilt is always associated with the deeds and behaviors that I have done.
Shame is always directed at my person, who I am.
Put these two together and you've got a dangerous combination. A combination that can only be dealt with by God's Holy Spirit work inside.
When we talk of recovery, and you read such things as "Do not remember the former things"....it isn't talking about just sloughing them off and acting as it they never happened. It is referring to the process that recovery takes us through where we actually deal with the past and make amends. I guess you could say that all our unpaid accounts are dealt with and settled. God forgives us clear and clean when we confess what we have done. That frees us to go to the people we have wronged and hurt, to make amends and set things right.
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you. Leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer you gift.
Isn't that amazing!!!
God says that if you suddenly realize that there is a riff between you and someone else, because of your actions and choices, you are to leave church. Leave church? Yep..that is how serious this kind of stuff is. So serious that God says get up and leave the church, go right then and set things right. Why? Because it is healing to our souls that's why. Every time we deal with a piece of our past, it is a little more healing that we receiver. Another part is laid to rest and we can truly know that we are moving beyond the things that have held us in place for years. In other words, God is setting new pieces and parts of the path our journey is not taking.
There is freedom........
real freedom in dealing with the past and moving on.
God on you....
mb
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