When the past returns to haunt you

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“I—I sweep away your transgressions for my own sake and remember your sins no more. Remind me. Let’s argue the case together. Recount the facts, so that you may be vindicated,” (Isaiah 43:25-26 CSB).

What do broken and despairing Christians tend to do when their sins come back to haunt them? They tend to focus on their failures and lose sight of the Lord Jesus Christ. His faithful promises once cherished and observed now somehow become blurry and obscure while past mistakes come into focus, playing over and over in their minds like a never-ending loop. In this state of mind, the voice of Satan the accuser always drowns out the voice of Jesus our Advocate.

When we find ourselves in this position, it’s time to recount the facts and argue our case with God. He invites us to do so! We have a skilled attorney in Jesus who stands in our defense to advocate on our behalf. No, he doesn’t point to our goodness or our badness, He points to His sacrifice on Calvary and glorious resurrection. Let’s allow Him to plead our case. He always wins so we can quit believing the enemy's lies.

Fellow believer, Jesus doesn’t want us living in the past, rehashing our old sins. He did a new thing — dying for our sins and rising again. God told his ancient people “Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert,” Isaiah 43:19 CSB… “The people I formed for myself will declare my praise.” Isaiah 43:21 CSB.

That way in the wilderness is Jesus. Let’s lift up our heads and praise the Lord!

​Toni Babcock
Minnesota, USA - info@grace-lines.net