Get Past Your Mistakes
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Carolyn Driver
In my travels, I continually meet people who aren't fulfilling their destiny. They appear to be frustrated and without direction. When I talk with these individuals, I usually discover that they are allowing past mistakes to impact their present and determine their future. The past is somehow keeping them from going on to greater things.
In my travels, I continually meet people who aren't fulfilling their destiny. They appear to be frustrated and without direction. When I talk with these individuals, I usually discover that they are allowing past mistakes to impact their present and determine their future. The past is somehow keeping them from going on to greater things.
I just met a young man named Carlton who is stuck in his past. This is his story. He was raised in a good Christian home. He went off to college and got with the wrong crowd. He began drinking, drugging and partying. Because he knew this was wrong and would devastate his parents if they found out, he felt great shame. Instead of allowing shame to bring him to his senses, he grew wilder. He eventually got a young girl pregnant. Then he paid for her to have an abortion. Now his guilt and shame was intensified.
This young man, only 25 years of age, feels that his life is over and doomed. Although he has repented of his sins and is now living the Christian lifestyle, he is having trouble forgiving himself. Instead of walking in the forgiveness extended to him by God, he beats himself up daily for his past mistakes. He thinks about his past and how he has blown his life on a regular on-going basis.
Carlton needs to accept the forgiveness granted to us by Christ. The Apostle Paul, who persecuted Christians, had to forgive himself, and he gave us some great advice. Paul said, "I press toward the mark of my high calling in Christ Jesus." Paul goes on to tell us that he forgets those things in the past and now focuses on the future. This is what Carlton needs to do, and as he does this he should take authority over his thought life and his emotions and demand that they align with the decision to forget the past and reach for the "goodness" of his future.
Just like Carlton, we need to recognize that poor judgement is something to learn from, not suffer from. We don't have to waste time worrying about yesterday. We have to learn to never characterize our past mistakes as a statement about who we are.
God loves us. He forgives us for our past failures. His desire is that we never allow the mistakes of the past to determine our future. Forgive yourself. Control your thoughts and get past your mistakes so that you may enjoy the promise of your future.
Keep the Spirit of Hope alive by pressing toward the mark of a bright future.
Dr. Carolyn A. Driver
cdmmin@aol.com
www.dilega.com
About Carolyn Driver
Dr. Carolyn Driver is an ordained minister, a church planter, a certified LifeForming Leadership Coach and Coach Trainer. She is founder and CEO of Christ Discipleship Ministries and The Driver Institute of Leadership and Education.
http://84185.stablerack.com/Articles?blogid=Articles&url=10&view=post&articleid=172533&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Carolyn Driver
I imagine when we as people are broken and beaten up by life, that we also appear too hopeless for anyone to invest any time and energy into our lives. Yet, in God's eyes we are always worth whatever it takes to restore us. God always sees us as the finished product. He knows our potential. God helps us to fully become the person we were created to be. Just as my friend never gives up when refinishing a chair, God will never quit. He will always finish the good work He has started in us.
http://84185.stablerack.com/Articles?blogid=Articles&url=10&view=post&articleid=172532&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Carolyn Driver
Children go to bed hungry every night in this country and in other nations. Suicide is the highest among teens. Our children are killing each other. Drugs, alcohol, pornography and gambling are addictions of epidemic proportions. Children are murdered every day by the minute through abortion. Spousal abuse is at the highest rate it has ever been. More people are in debt than ever before—85 percent of the people who lost their job today would have to proclaim bankruptcy within two to three months.
http://84185.stablerack.com/Articles?blogid=Articles&url=10&view=post&articleid=172531&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Carolyn Driver
Sometimes our problems overwhelm us. I remember Susan jumping into a taxi after a morning of dealing with one crisis after another. She yelled to the taxi driver, "All right, let's get going." "Where do you want me to take you?" asked the taxi driver. Susan yelled back, "I don't care where you take me, I've got problems everywhere."
