"... But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead..." ~ Philippians 3:13During my devotional time today, I was shown this song:
I will never be the same again,
I can never return, I've closed the door.
I will walk apart, I'll run the race
And I will never be the same again.
I'm sure there are many people out there who can relate to my situation. Having to undergo a sour past, crammed with countless painful moments and regrets you don't want to recall. We've been to a ditch, where it was dark, muddy and dirty. We've felt so alone in the dead of silence, hearing not a voice but the sound of train moving so rapidly. We were blinded by the luminescence of the world that was stripping us away from our conscience. Making wrong choices, doing the same mistakes, hopeless as someone trying to catch their own shadow.
Compared to the people who really have been there, I can't say that I've experienced an extreme downfall. However, there were times in my life when I doubted God so much and I felt like it was the end of the relationship between me and Him because I thought I've had enough of it. I was on the verge of giving up. I was tired of living different lives, exhausted from having this weight on my shoulders, walking endlessly without a destination. I started to use my own abilities to solve problems and walk the paths I'd chosen for myself. I've had one too many heartbreaks, cried until I ran out of tears, ventured to see if there's even anything more to life. I inherently tried to solve almost all of my problems by myself.
To be completely honest with you, I truly admire people who have fallen in their tracks and eventually find their way back to the Lord. I know it must have taken a great deal of miracles (Psalm 77:14) and hard work to turn them 360 degrees around. It's amazing to see how much these people have changed and how they are changing the lives of others. But you know what else is amazing? They didn't do it alone. God fought the battles for them.
The day I rededicated my entire life to the Lord, I agreed to give him absolute authority to rule over my life. I've made the decision to close the door of the past and leave it all behind; locking the door and throwing the key as far as I could. I've concurred to close my eyes to the things that have passed. I've agreed for God to use me however he wants to - whether it's going to cause little or much pain, I've already made a lifetime commitment to Jesus Christ. He is my present and my future! By this, I mean trusting him with my every problem, believing in the truth that He will not let my feet stumble, for He is the one who carries me, and most importantly, being aware of His intense love for me.
I've decided to keep advancing and anticipate the greater things God has in store for me. His love has brought me to a whole new level and you know what? I'll never be the same again because Jesus has changed my life. Just because I've been a Christian all my life, it doesn't mean that I can't be spiritually renewed. We all need that constant refreshment. But, there are two things God requires of us: to RELEASE the past and be WILLING to be used for His glory.
I'm a renewed soldier of Christ who moves forward and is no longer afraid to be a tool for God's glory. I'm ready to run the race and I'm not backing down. I know, because my God is a God of victory. He's going to fight my battles and conquer my enemies. There's no turning back nor is there giving up. Let us set our vision on the Lord and be prepared to ride on! In the end, I want to be one of the people standing firm, saying:
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." ~ 2 Timothy 4:7
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amen =) great post! :)\
ReplyDeletekeeep on going. everyone stumbles, everyone falls. like you said, it's a way of life. but we also know that God never gives up on HIs children :)
1 Timothy 2:13
its written on my blogpost. :P check it out!
very well written :) i like how you say being christians that we are, doesn't mean that we can't be spiritually renewed. in fact, we do need to be spiritually refreshed and renewed everyday i.e. through daily devotional time, youth camp, or church retreat.
ReplyDeleteps: i'm glad that He found me just in time, took me out of the ditch and renewed me completely.
cheers =)
btw it's going to rain all day tomorrow. sigh