However much we try not to, we’ll all fail at some point in our lives. But that doesn’t need to stop us. Failure can be used to make us stronger, it grows us and prevents us from making the same mistakes again. When we become trapped by our failings and anything else in our past, we limit our future. If we don’t forgive ourselves, we can’t let ourselves move on. If we don’t stop looking backwards, we stop ourselves looking ahead to all that God has for us. But God says: ‘Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land’ (vv.18-19). When we let unforgiveness, bitterness and hurt fill our lives, we become despondent. At one point in Elijah’s life, he got so depressed that didn’t want to go on. He cried out to God: ‘“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors”’ (1 Kings 19:4 NIV). Later when he was strengthened by God, he was able to start again with a new mission in life (see verses 15-16 NIV). When we seem to be facing problem after problem, and our past just seems to be made up of mistakes, we can end up saying ‘I have had enough, Lord’ too. But however bad our past has been, however much baggage we’re holding on to and however despairing we are about our lives right now, we can start again. God’s always doing new things. He forgives us and has plans for us to step into. We just need to forgive ourselves and step into them.

What Now?

Fill a bag with rocks (or just something heavy) and carry it around the house for a while. Then take what’s in the bag out one at a time, for each one ask God to help you let go of a different part of your past.