God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them in order to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual culture for the future – Oswald Chambers 12/31
Put the past on a scale and it weighs 21,434 pounds. I know because I weighed it.
I know it’s too heavy to carry and I would never try. I’m smarter than that.
But, I will try to carry about 100 pounds. Or 50. On an average day it’s a very manageable 10-15 pounds. On a good day, appreciating and appropriating all that Jesus did on the cross, I’m weightless.
May you realize more this new year, as I want to, that guilt does not pay for your failures. Forgiveness is not earned by suffering long enough (how long is that?) under the weight of regret. Forgiveness is instant, every time, but only because of the total, absolute payment Jesus made. I insult him when I insist on earning forgiveness.
And may you also realize more, as I want to, that every failure is not sin. Sometimes I feel worse about mistakes than sin. Let’s not do that. Let’s remember the difference this year.
Let’s let memory be used for gratitude and growing, not for guilt.
