LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST

is going to be one of the shortest pieces in this series, but I dare to tell you that if you open your mind to the realities it carries, it will be the most liberating to you.

In his book, "The purpose-driven life", Rick Warren raised some important variables that drive people's lives. Among those variables were guilt, resentment and anger, and fear. Let me note here therefore that we are all driven by something - good or bad, from the past or the future.

To make your life count, I believe you have to leave the past in the past. Regardless of the experiences and encounters of the past, all you need to carry from there are the lessons learned. Truth is, a lot of people are living less and dragging through each day because they are still stuck in the past.

For some, it could be guilt for what they have done, hence they find it hard to forgive themselves and receive forgiveness as well. For others, it is anger and resentment from an event of the past and they find it hard to let go. Irrespective of what still gnaws at you from the past, it is not worth your present and future, for greater is what you have now and what is ahead of you.

Anger is a poison of the heart that when allowed permeates the entire system of one's life, this will lead to outbursts of unpleasant and hostile actions and behaviors. When you are angry, you hurt not only yourself but people around you too. Guilt keeps you in costly chains and won't let you know that there is priceless freedom in giving and receiving forgiveness.

What have you done in the past that you are letting hold you down and back? I ask you again, regardless of how your past is, have you let it be in the past? I want you to know that yesterday is a closed-door and you don't live there anymore; there may be pain, tears, and scars, but I tell you, you won't make your life count by rehashing them daily.

Nothing will make sense to you if you are still driven by the baggage of the past. Make peace with God, ask Him to help you let the painful and regrettable experiences of the past go, ask for His forgiveness, forgive those who wrong you in the past, and forgive yourself too. You have one life to live, I urge you not to let the past steal the present and the future from you. Let it go, leave the past in the past and you will be making your life count.

Let me wrap up with an excerpt from one of my favorite songs by For King and Country" titled: "Burn the Ship"

Burn the ships, cut the ties

Send a flare into the night

Say a prayer, turn the tide

Dry your tears and wave goodbye

Step into a new day

We can rise from the dust and walk away

We can dance upon the heartache, yeah

So light a match, leave the past, burn the ships

And don't you look back

Thank you for reading

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