The Fog of My Past

Read: 1 Corinthians 6
“Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

Examine:
A believer’s past becomes irrelevant the moment they surrender their life to Christ. In this verse Paul says some really important things about what happens the instant salvation occurs. The person is purified by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin. They are set apart, hallowed, and pronounced righteous by trusting in Christ.

Apply:
Sometimes I wake up and my past lingers around me like a thick fog. There are memories in my mind and heart that I wish were not there. There are visual images stuck in my head the sometimes seem to be played at random. Sometimes a song triggers them, sometimes they are triggered in a dream, sometimes running into someone from my past triggers them, and sometimes they just seem to come from nowhere. Regardless of their source, these memories always take me back to the man I once was. In those moments I can choose to feel guilty, I can long for that former lifestyle, or I can celebrate the grace of God.

Pray:
There are days when I miss my former life. You can’t remember them because You have forgotten it, but I can. In all honesty debauchery was fun to my flesh. Fun it may have been, but I also know it was empty and useless. Above that it broke Your heart. I pray today that You help me walk according to Your Spirit and that I steer clear of the former choices I once made. Keep my theology solid, my choices pure, and my mission clear. I pray that the joy I get from obeying You far exceed any joy I get from following my flesh.

I am set apart. I am hallowed. I have been pronounced righteous. I have been bought with a price. My life matters and my choices count. You have a plan and purpose for all that You have done in my life; thank you. When I consider my past and the places from which You redeemed me it amazes me still. Your grace is crazy. I want to run the days of my life for Your glory and through Your power.