Daily Devotional for Tuesday May 6, 2008

You Do Not Have to Keep Living with the Pain from Your Past

(Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7 )

This message applies to every single person who is reading this right now. > It doesn't matter how old you are, whether you are a man or a woman, what > your skin color is, what nationality you are, how much money you have or > don > 't have, this is a universal message that is applicable to everyone. You > see, nobody that has lived very long in this sin-filled and evil world has > escaped the trials and tribulations of this life and not experienced some > sort of pain. EVERYONE reading this Devotional knows the pain that comes > from time to time during this journey we are on. > > For some, that pain was experienced in your childhood through mental, > physical, or sexual abuse. Some have experienced that pain later in life > through failed relationships, many through being divorced. Everyone has > lived through the pain of the death of a loved one. Many of you have > experienced the pain of financial hardships. Others have lived through the > pain of losing your job or other employment and career issues. Sadly, some > have lived through the experience of being a crime victim. Everyone has > experienced the pain from making poor choices at some point in their life. > Most have had to experience the pain of some bondage such as alcohol, > drugs, > gambling, sex, food, money, shopping, lying, or a myriad of other bondages > that people get caught up in. > > NOT ONE PERSON READING THIS HAS NOT HAD TO LIVE THROUGH THE PAIN THAT > COMES > FROM LIVING THIS LIFE HERE ON EARTH. > > Today, I want to share a word with you that could be one of the most > important things anyone has ever told you. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP LIVING > WITH WHATEVER PAIN YOU HAVE FROM YOUR PAST. Let me repeat that, because I > really want you to hear these words clear. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP LIVING > WITH WHATEVER PAIN YOU HAVE FROM YOUR PAST. If you are, that is only > because > you have CHOSEN to live with that pain! > > The fact is, God has made a way through faith in His Son for you to put > the > pain of your past behind you and live your life in freedom. Jesus has told > us to give Him our burdens, that He would carry them for us. The Bible > tells > us to cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us. You see, God doesn't > expect you to carry the pain of your past with you each day. He wants you > to > live FREE from your past so that you can enjoy the abundance that this > life > has to offer. > > Just hours before going to the cross, Jesus told His disciples that in > this > world, they would experience trials and tribulations. But He told them to, > "Be of good cheer because He has overcome this world." You see my friend, > trials and tribulations are part of this human experience, but God has > made > a way through His Son for us to still enjoy the abundance that this life > can > offer despite those trials and tribulations. > > The only reason you are carrying the pain of your past with you today is > because you have chosen to believe the LIE instead of the TRUTH. Jesus > tells > us in John 8:44, "Satan is a liar. He is the "father of lies." When he > speaks, he speaks his native language-lying! God on the other hand is > TRUTH. > The Word of God is TRUTH. The lie of satan is that you have to carry the > pain of your past around with you each day like a 1,000 pound anchor > around > your neck. The truth from God is that you can take that pain of your past > and give it to Jesus. HE WILL GLADLY TAKE THAT 1,000 POUND ANCHOR FROM YOU > TODAY!!! > > I love you and care about you so much. Everyone reading this Devotional > today has experienced some of the pain that this life offers. So many of > you > have never let go of that pain and have simply learned how to live your > life > each day with that pain. Because of that, you are missing the fullness of > the joy, peace, and abundance that this life can offer. Because of that, > you > are not completely fulfilling your purpose in this life which is to serve > and glorify God with your life. Because of that, you are not living in > total > freedom and victory each day. Right now, this very moment, I want you to > stop whatever you are doing. If you are at home, at work, or school, it > doesn't matter. Stop whatever you are doing right now and pray this > prayer. > > "Dear Father, I thank you for this day. I know that today was not promised > to me, but it is a gift from You. Dear God, You know the pain I have today > from what has happened in my life. I am tired of carrying this pain with > me > day after day. It is robbing me of my joy, of my peace, of knowing the > abundance that this life can offer. I trust Your Word today that tells me > that I can give this burden to You, that You will take it from me. I trust > Your Word today that tells me to cast my cares on You because You care for > me. In the name of Jesus, I give You the pain of my past today. In the > name > of Jesus, I surrender it to You. Take it from me, and fill me right now > with > Your joy, with Your peace, and let me live from this day forward in > FREEDOM > FROM MY PAST! In Jesus name I pray. Amen!" > > I will be praying for you today my friend. God loves you SO MUCH! He cares > about you SO MUCH! We live in an evil and sin-filled world. Because of > that, > we all will experience pain in this life, but God has made a way so that > we > do not have to carry that pain around with us for the rest of our days. He > has offered to carry it for us, to take it from us. I pray today that you > will trust Him and give Him the pain of your past and live in FREEDOM from > this day forward!