When the past shows up

No.  Stop.  What are you doing?  You don’t belong here.  I left you years ago.  I’m not the same person I was.  You don’t fit in and you can’t go with me.  I am weary of you and your incessant voice.  Leave me alone.

You stand there presenting yourself as a road block ahead.  Impenetrable.  An attempt to force me to detour from the path I’m on.  I must admit, for a moment I believed you.  Again.   You showed up unexpectedly and I wasn’t prepared to face you.  Your illusion appears so much larger than you really are.

I step back, get still, and re-focus.  I review the assignment I’ve been given and I am reassured that there are no road blocks along this way.  I am to keep moving forward.  Once I shake off the surprise of your presence, I see a detour is not necessary.  You cannot stop my progress.  Sure, you may convince others that I shouldn’t pass through, but not me.  Not now.

I’m moving forward.  Why are you still here??  Oh, I see.  Instead of a road block you transform into a speed bump.  You can’t stop me but you want to slow me down.  I’m tempted to accept your presence this way.  I mean, after all, I’m the reason you’re here.  You whisper that I will encounter you again and again and again, never able to gain momentum as I have to slow down repeatedly to overcome you.  I wrestle with you a while on this matter until my Father’s voice breaks through….

“Imagine this path you are on is made of bricks.  It is made up of all your choices, good and bad, each brick placed carefully into a pattern that forms the road you are walking.  Don’t look at the ugly bricks and think they don’t belong.  I’ve placed them among the many beautiful bricks as part of this foundation beneath your feet.  That’s what I want you to see – all these bricks are beneath your feet.  None more important than the other because they fit together giving you a firm place to walk.  They do stretch out ahead of you and will always be a part of this life road you’re on, but I haven’t placed them as road blocks or speed bumps.  They are only bricks.  I’ve fitted them together perfectly so that you can move forward to accomplish the vision I’ve given you.  Don’t stop.  Don’t slow down.  Keep moving.  I haven’t changed My mind.”

Has God given you a vision?  Has the enemy tried to use your past to detour you or slow you down?  Step back and let the Father give you a right perspective.

Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament),

Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).   Hebrews 13:20-21

He hasn’t changed His mind.  He is working to make you what you ought to be and to carry out and accomplish the very thing He told you He would do in you and through you.  Take heart.  Don’t be discouraged or put off.  It’s amazing what He does with our mistakes once we surrender them to His hands!

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.  Romans 8:28