"...you will forget the shame of your youth..."
Isa.54:4
Isa.54:4
When Eve first opened her eyes on planet earth, she was already married. She never got to grow up. She just stepped into being a wife, then a mother. Did that happen to you? Were you a parent before you had a chance to be a child, or knew what it meant to be innocent and grow up with your trust intact? If Eve's story is your story, the Word for you today is, 'Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced...you will forget the shame of your youth....'
You can't go back and make things different. You're not the same person and you're never going to be. You cannot relive your first marriage or your early childhood. But there are three scriptural steps you can take to get up, get over it and move on:
1) forgive what others have done to you (Ephesians 4:32)
2) forgive yourself for what you've done (Philippians 3:13)
3) believe that God has truly forgiven you, and act on it (Isaiah 43:25).
Sometimes we hold onto the past because we believe there's something there we think we still need. We cling to certain things because we fear we'll never be able to replace them. No, God has more in store for you. If you've entrusted your future to Him you haven't seen your best days yet. There's more ahead of you than behind you. God promises: '...beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...' (Isaiah 61:3). So in God's strength get up, get over it and move on!
Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Comments
Btw that carrot cake sounded mouthwatering
mry
In fact Jesus said to forgive "Not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22): that is to say always.