We were made for paradise in the Garden of Eden. But that paradise no longer exists.
Our world has become a jungle, filled with lions, tigers, and bears.
Hurt, loss, betrayal, and frustration lurk around every corner. These can scar us badly, and they can lure us back to the past on a daily basis.
Our enemy Satan feed our minds with those painful memories. He tempts us to focus on those hurts from our past, so they can wound us in the present. When we do that, our past hurts and angers can quickly become our constant companions.
The reason it hurts so much to live in the past is because, when we go there, we go there alone.
GOD’S NAME ISN’T “I WAS”, BUT “I AM”.
He is the living God, a present tense God, available to us only in the present moment of faith. When we go to our past, we go there without God, and without His grace to salve our wounds.
When we look toward the future, seeking to protect ourselves from more hurt, we go there alone, too.
GOD’S NAME ISN’T “I WILL BE”, BUT “I AM.”
Living in fear, we will fortify our castles of self-protection and build high, thick walls around our hearts so no one will be able to hurt us again.
We will become victimizers.
In the past, we were victims at the hand of others. But when we live in isolation and self-protection, we victimize those who want to love us but can’t get past our walls. And we victimize ourselves, forfeiting our God-given design to be loved and to love.
We must end this vicious cycle.
We must stop going to the past. Nothing we do can change what happened. We must stop looking toward the future, trying to control what we can never control.
ONLY IN THIS PRESENT MOMENT CAN WE EXPERIENCE OUR GOD AND THE PEACE AND REST HE LONGS TO GIVE US.
Our Father God is here NOW, offering all He is to meet all our needs. In this moment, through faith in Christ, we can receive His strength, His peace, and His comfort, His tenacity and courage to face life in this jungle with confidence.
HIS NAME IS “I AM”, AND HE WANTS TO BE “I AM” TO YOU. CHOOSE TO FIND HIM, NOT IN THE PAST OR IN THE FUTURE, BUT IN THE ONLY PLACE AND TIME HE CAN BE FOUND … RIGHT NOW!
“What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it – we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.” 1 John 3:1 (The Message)
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