Main Scripture:
John 15:5 (KJV)
“For without me ye can do nothing.”
As Christians, we often have the desire to do better but struggle with actually putting that desire into practice. We want to forgive, move forward, and live according to God's Word, yet some of us are still carrying wounds, disappointments, and guilt from things that happened years ago. We may have continued with our lives, but we haven't necessarily let go of what hurt us.
The Apostle Paul understood this struggle. In Romans 7:18, he said, “For to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” We need to understand that wanting to change and allowing God to change us are two different things. We cannot continue depending upon our own strength to overcome what requires His help.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul reminds us that if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Yet we sometimes continue living as though our past has more authority over us than the Word of God. We hold on to resentment, revisit old wounds, and allow guilt to interfere with the peace Christ has made available to us. We must remember that we've been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and our conduct should reflect the One to whom we belong.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:29 to “learn of me.” That means we must learn to forgive, trust God with what we cannot change, and stop allowing yesterday's experiences to control how we live today. Letting go doesn't mean pretending the hurt never happened. It means refusing to allow that hurt to continue governing our lives.
Paul declared in Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We cannot continue looking backward while expecting to grow spiritually. There comes a time when we must surrender what we've been carrying and allow God to direct our steps.
We cannot change what happened yesterday, but through Jesus Christ, we can change how we live today. Let go of what has been holding you back, and trust God enough to move forward.
The servant may change, but the God who calls and anoints His servants remains the same. We must continue carrying the bloodstained banner of Jesus Christ, not for our glory, but for His.