We all know there is a form of idolatry in serving a worldly image. But do you know that when we make excuses for ourselves by drawing from our pasts, that too is idolatry?
That’s a challenging idea. But an idol is what you give your strength to or draw your strength from. Do we not sometimes spend our strength focusing on our pasts to explain our present? Yet Scripture tells us to turn our attention elsewhere:
“But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in his deeds” (James 1:25).
James is saying that if we want to live blessed, we are not to be the focus. Our focus is to be God’s perfect law of liberty. It will give us the freedom we seek!
Part of obedience is applying God’s truth to our lives and circumstances. So hear the truth God has declared over you:
“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Are you in Christ? Then you must let go of the old. It is gone, and a new way of living has been prepared for you. Use your gift of faith to step into this new life. Whatever lies behind you, let go of your past—because your past is not your future.
“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18).
The path we follow becomes clearer and more distinct as we walk it. As long as you go forward, your light will increase. With each step, you leave the realm of darkness and travel deeper into His light until it shines brighter than the full light of day.
Now is the time to put the old to rest. As you seek God this week, I encourage you to acknowledge that what Jesus did is enough to cover you and make all things new. There are no special cases. No longer are you a person with a past. You are a child of God with a future!
If you want to dig deeper into this topic, I encourage you to check out my book It’s Not How You Look, It’s What You See.
Lisa Bevere is a best-selling author of several titles. For further study on this topic: The True Measure of a Woman by Lisa Bevere (Charisma House) Woman, Thou Art Loosed! by T.D. Jakes (Destiny Image) Breaking Free by Beth Moore (Broadman & Holman).
Janet Perez Eckles 
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett