You know what sucks?

The past. It seems to haunt you. It’s always there…reminding you of silly choices you’ve made. How you could’ve done things differently. It you had only known in advance….I mean hindsight is 20/20 right?
 
You know what doesn’t suck? God’s sovereignty-the fact that everything in your life has happened according to God’s sovereign plan. Think about it. He has planned everything specifically out for your life according to His will. If you don’t believe me, believe this- Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” This is a promise from the Lord that He knows exactly what He’s doing, and everything that has happened in your life is for His greater purpose. That verse has helped me through many past pity parties.
 
And on top of that the past sin that may haunt you has been forgiven, you are redeemed. I feel like people use this word all the time, but what does it truly mean? When Jesus died on the cross he took on all of God’s wrath for our sin. All the wrath that was meant for us- he took it away. Gone. Completely gone. Don’t you see the freedom in that? We are no longer slaves to the past to be constantly reminded about the sins we’ve committed against God, but rather rejoice in the great mercy that has been shown to us. How beautiful is that?
 
However, with that said, I will be the first to say that I let myself be burdened by my past. I used to be an atheist…laughing at people who worshipped an invisible being. I used to idolize partying, drinking, drugs, boys…basically anything that would satisfy me for a short amount of time…and the list of terrible decisions goes on. But once I took all of these bad things and tried to see the good that came from them…healing began. I began to see how beautiful my story really is. I began to see how God intricately wove everything together, even when I didn’t believe. I began to see how God used my past to serve Him in the present and, I’m sure, the future. Pasts can be a beautiful thing once you see them for what they really are: tools to glorify Him. So now- I vow- to no longer be a slave to my past. I will use it only for God's glory!