Finding Freedom

Jordan McKinney

This past week while I was spending time praying and journaling, I felt like God brought up something that I didn’t realize I was struggling with. It’s funny how he does that when we take time to listen. . .  Anyways, God was telling me that I have not really forgiven myself and moved on from my past sins and failures. I needed to accept the forgiveness that he had already given me, and until I moved on past it, I would never truly be free. 

Now on to how this all happened. I started thinking of different jobs and different places that I have lived and worked, and some of those places have memories of failure or hurt attached to them. God pointed out to me that I was holding on to these things like Israel couldn't move past their past failures either. In the book of 1st and 2nd Kings we read about how kings of Israel and Judah had both good and bad kings. Often when there was a good king they would turn the people back to following the Lord. But after, there was always a remark, “they did not tear down the places of worship or the Asherah poles. These were left and became stumbling blocks for later generations. It wasn’t until king Josiah did these get taken down. 

God told me that I need to move on and fully take down these reminders of failure and mistakes. I couldn’t fully move on until I let him start that work in my life. I have learned a new practice that might be helpful to you as well. Whenever I am tempted, either a new temptation or to dwell on one in the past, take a couple deep breaths. Breath out the desire of flesh and the reminders of the past, then breath in the Spirit. I take a moment to remind myself that I am completely forgiven. Every sin, every failure, and every mistake is washed away. I need to let it go and move past it and let God take down those reminders, then I can really embrace the full freedom that is found in Jesus.

So what things have you been holding onto? Is it the sins and failures of the past? Is it not forgiving someone else? Take some time and practice letting the complete grace of God work in your life as you learn to move past your past mistakes.