Don’t Let Your Past Hold You Back
Is your past stopping you from a future with Jesus Christ? There was a time where I would not go to church because I felt I was not good enough for God’s love. I felt that I had to change myself before I could even go before him. There are a lot of people that feel that way. They won’t enter a church because they don’t feel that they are good enough. They allow their past to stop them. Don’t let your past hold you back!
The Conversion of Saul
9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Acts 9:1-2 ESV
However, let’s look at the life of Paul. Not only did he hate the followers of Jesus period, he earnestly sought them out to throw them in jail and to vote for their death. We first hear about him while he was still called Saul during the stoning of Stephen. He was an official witness of Stephen’s stoning which meant he was allowed to decide the fate of the Jewish people. He watched the coats of the people who stoned Stephen to death. Paul admitted that he would even go to foreign lands to find and persecute the followers of Jesus.
Paul Sang Praises in Jail
Jesus himself stopped Paul. He decided to use this man to further his church. Paul is set up as a great example of someone whose past was reprehensible, but who was forgiven by Jesus and completely transformed. Paul did nothing to change himself before meeting Jesus. He was in the midst of prosecuting the followers of Jesus when Jesus approached him. Look how dramatically Paul’s life changed after. It wasn’t just an outward change, he completely transformed. He was such a changed man that he was singing praises and converting people while in jail.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
Acts 16:25
If you are afraid to go before God because of your past life, you need to look at the life of Paul. Don’t let your past hold you back. We are all a fallen people and if we try to change on our own, it will never happen. Only God has the ability to completely transform our lives. Do not allow your past or any person to hold you back from everlasting life. Remember that Jesus died on that cross while taking on all of our shame. Leave it at the cross and reach out to the one who can save you. Do not allow shame or guilt to stop you. Remember your past does not define your future. The blood of Jesus and His resurrection will change all of that if you just believe and accept and have faith.