Dear Ones,
Hope you have a forward moving day! I plan to bake cookies and do food prep and Al will be going to Men’s group and later we have Bible Study. We enjoyed the most delicious Alaskan dinner and fellowship last night and still have a full feeling.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Haven’t we all wished we could go back in time and undo the mistakes we’ve made that caused us shame? But rehearsing them again and again is futile and a waste of time. Recently I read an article by Rosangela Atte who wrote about getting set free and untethered from our past. When we go over and over again about things we regret, we find ourselves chained to our past and unable to move forward. It can only leave us spiritually stunted and unable to progress.

Each of us has to come to the place where we are willing to break the ties to our past, especially if we have made vows of saying we will never forgive someone. We can’t move forward until we choose to forgive them and break the chains. It’s sad to hang on and replay the past rather than forgiving and being set free. Rosangela reminds us of Isaiah 58:6, “Is not this kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” When we keep rehearsing our blunders and mourn our past, we are held captive and tethered. Instead we are to forget what lies behind and press forward to what God has ahead for us. (Phil. 3:13-14)

Let us be done with rehearsing what caused us pain and regret, and move on to growing in the Lord. That means we let go and forgive others and ourselves, and welcome the new and exciting things the Lord will lead us into.  May each of us ask the Lord to cut the cords that have us bound in any way and experience the freedom that He has waiting for us.

Challenge for today:  Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you any ways that you are held captive; choose to forgive and be set free.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy