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How to get a new past (or why your past doesn't define you).

[Edit: So I had a new post scheduled for today but after reading so many heart breaking comments on yesterday's post, I felt strongly that I needed to repost this. I don't know who it's for but whoever you are, God wants you to know: YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOU.] 

We all have a past we wish we could erase.

But so did most of the biblical spiritual giants we look up to as Christians.

* Moses killed a man and buried him in the sand.

(He went on to be one of the greatest leaders not only in the bible but in the history of the world). 

* David committed adultery  and then murdered  the woman’s husband.

(He went on to be known as one of the greatest heroes of our faith. Also known as "the man after God's own heart".  And oh, Jesus also came through his lineage). 

* Rahab was a prostitute.

(She went on to be one of four women named in the genealogy of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew). 

* Abraham lied that his wife was his sister in order to save his own skin.

(He went on to be the Father of many nations). 

* Mary Magdalene had seven demons.

(She went on to be one of the first witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus). 

* Paul’s 8-5 job was to oversea the murder of as many Jesus followers as possible.

(He went on to write most of the New Testament). 

Murder. Adultery. Prostitution. Lies. Demons. Mass-murder. 

We all have a past we wish we could erase. Unfortunately we can't erase our pasts, but the good news is we can embrace a new one.

We can embrace God's past history of using people with bad pasts. 

For I will forgive their sins and will remember their wickedness no more - God (Hebrews 8:12)

You might not forget your past but God sure has. No He doesn't have spiritual amnesia. It's called grace. And grace says we have a clean slate regardless of our past. 

My past is like a little gold fish in an ocean of grace. It's been swallowed up.

​​I know it's hard to believe but if grace can swallow up murder, adultery, prostitution, lies and mass-murder, I'm sure it's got my past covered. Yours too. 

In other words, you are free. Free from your past. Free to live. Free to love. Free to dream. Free to be all the cross says you are. Free from all that hunt you from your past. 

​How has God blessed and used you in spite of your past? Also, what are some things from your past that you still have a hard time believing grace has swallowed up? 

P:S: If God has redeemed your past (which I'm sure he has in many ways for so many of us), PLEASE share. Someone needs to know their past doesn't define them and one of the best ways to see that is to hear stories of pasts that God has redeemed. Let's encourage one another friends. This is why we are here.