Then I heard the voice say, ‘you’ve Said Bye-Bye to The Past’. I said what is the spirit of God saying to me? So, I went to search for scriptures in the Holy Bible that speak to letting go of the past. And I found in the book of Philippians 3:13-14 ‘…but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Saying bye-bye to the past is a tough decision to make. Saying goodbye to the past does not necessarily mean saying goodbye to a bad or disappointing past. A past maybe a past reminiscent of a ‘good’ time. But in the matters of God, all are up for the asking when God calls.
From a business standpoint, waving the past was well captured in a business book titled ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ by Spencer Johnson. I recommend you read this book which I found enlightening.
Who Moved My Cheese
I read this book in the early years of my career as I began to rise into the managerial levels. From my google search for a quick summary of the highlights of the book, I came across various perspectives on the lessons from the book. And below, I have listed the lessons that resonate strongly with me from a business standpoint:
- Smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old
- When you stop being afraid, you feel good
- Imagining yourself with new cheese leads you to it
- The quicker you let go of the old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy the new cheese
- Move With the cheese and enjoy it
The spiritual perspective of the Move
From a spiritual standpoint, it is important to learn to listen to the voice of God before making the move on and leaving the past behind. Sometimes we must learn to be patient and wait patiently for the Lord to guide our decisions. In the book of Psalms 27:14, the bible says ‘Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord’. Here the Psalmist expects us to have faith and hope in the All-knowing, Ever-present, and All-Powerful essence of God Almighty, then obey the voice of God before we wave bye to the past.
However, when you hear the voice that says wave the past bye, it is imperative to make that move because the consequences of not waving the past can be extremely costly to the individual. For example, one of the fundamental ways of overcoming hurtful or disappointing experiences is to wave the past bye. We should choose to forgive people or systems that have wronged us knowing that God is a God of restoration. When we let the past go, we press on to a bright future that God has prepared for us.
Regrets Deduct From The Future Bliss
Remember always that the regrets of yesterday dash the hopes of tomorrow. No matter what the experience was, looking to God for hope and restoration is always rewarding and puts us in a place of peace. Do not remain stuck in a place of self-pity or fear. There is always a brighter future ahead if we believe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, on this matter of leaving the past behind, a business perspective is very different from a spiritual perspective. From a spiritual standpoint, even when the cheese smells bad if God has not given you the green light to move, hang on and wait on the Lord.
On the contrary, even when the cheese is not yet smelling but when God says it is time to move, then we must obey. As believers, we know our steps are ordered by God. The scriptures say in the book of Psalm 37: 23, ‘The steps of a good and righteous man are directed by the Lord; And he delighted in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds his hand.’
I pray for courage and strength to obey when God calls us to wave the past bye so we can press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Praise God! Praise Our Lord Jesus Christ!
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