Thursday, February 5, 2015

Reduce Your Problems by up to 50% by Releasing the Past

Used by permission

We could effectively reduce the number of problems experienced in life by up to one third if we released our past. If we release the past with forgiveness, accepting forgiveness, trusting, and reconciling, only when it is warranted, and learn from ours and others’ mistakes so that we don’t repeat them in the present, then we might reduce our present problems by fifty percent. Would your life be better if problems were reduced by up to fifty percent and all you needed to deal with were present and future problems.

Many prefer not to release the embarrassments, failures, hurts, sins, and traumatic events of their past. Some fear to release the past thinking it would create more problems. The past might create more problems if not released safely. Others would release the past if they knew how to do so safely. There are those who deal with their past and live for today with hope for tomorrow. Would you like to join these?

Some events in the past may be hard to release because they have all the elements of embarrassment, failure, hurt, sin, and trauma in them. As I have counseled for over 35 years I have found that most people have some blight in their past. Past events may be a growth and maturing element, or they may be your secret to cover up. Covering a secret can use energy, time, and money.

Someone put the past in perspective well when they said, “If life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” Attention, energy, resources and time are better spent on today and tomorrow.

I made a list of things I learned through an experience in my past about myself, others, and God. My list had 143 observations to apply in my life. This was a crash educational experience that has served me and others well as I have counseled over the years.

Releasing the past has freed me from many problems and allowed me to help others.

Question: Would you agree the past can be a character builder, rather than destroyer?
Is it an overstatement to say we could reduce our problems by up to fifty percent by releasing the past and not repeating it?
Source: 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18

New King James Version (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconsiled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,