Removing the Guilt of the Past and the Fear of the Future

by Dr. Larry Ollison, Ph.D. 

       
Recently I received a letter from a lady who had a unique problem. She said that in just a few weeks she was going to attend her 10 year class reunion. Her husband, who had attended the same school, had bought the tickets months ago and was really looking forward to seeing his old school buddies. Each day he would talk about the reunion. He was excited.

 

His wife, however, was not so excited about the reunion. Instead she was filled with dread. Let me quote from her letter. “My husband is expecting a good time at the class reunion. He probably will have a good time. He was popular and still looks good. I, however, have put on twenty five pounds. My hair has gray in it and I look terrible. I’ve tried fixing myself up, but nothing seems to work. Every day takes me one day closer to the humiliation. From the time I wake up till the time I go to bed, I can’t think of anything else. Is there any hope?”

 

In another letter, a man writing from prison said that he was so filled with the guilt of his past that he couldn’t think about anything else. He said each day was filled with the thoughts of the past.

 

These two people have different problems but have the same root cause. They have fallen into one of the traps of Satan. If Satan can get us to bring the guilt of yesterday up into today and cause us to bring the fear and anticipation of tomorrow back into today, then today will be so full of yesterday and tomorrow that today we will have no time to do what God wants us to do today.

 

In Matthew 6:34 Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” On the surface that doesn’t sound like a faith statement, but this one statement alone can change your life.

 

Jesus simply said that we should take care of the business of today, today. Yesterday is gone. It’s like toothpaste that has been squeezed out of the tube. It’s spent. Nothing will bring it back. Guilt and grief today will not bring yesterday back. It’s gone.


Likewise, tomorrow isn’t here yet. Nothing you can do today will make tomorrow get here today. God set time into motion and it is still moving at the same pace it did on the day of creation. No slower, no faster. Nothing you can do will speed it up or slow it down.

 

So my message today is the same message Jesus gave us 2000 years ago. Do what God has for you to do today, today. Leave yesterday in the past. If someone has hurt you yesterday, then forgive them today and when tomorrow becomes today, your calendar will be clear. It’s that simple.


Don’t worry about tomorrow. Most things worried about today never take place tomorrow anyway. They’re just an illusion, a fear of the unknown. But that’s the way Satan works. After all, he is the deceiver. Jesus said in John 8:44 that he, Satan, is a liar – always has been, always will be.

 

Remember Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Remember, this is the day the Lord hath made. Rejoice and be glad in it.

 

The theme of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter six is learning how to live for the Kingdom of God today and learning how to live without the guilt of the past or the fear of the future.

 

Living by faith is God’s plan. 
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 All rights reserved. Used by permission.
This article may be reproduced for teaching purposes but not for commercial resale
The Cutting Edge Devotional by Dr. Ollison is a daily feature of www.CFAITH.com
The Cutting Edge Devotional - PO Box 880, Osage Beach, MO 65065 USA
When writing about this devotional, refer to devotional #0022

www.larryollison.com

If you would like to receive The Cutting Edge by email click here

* Note that Larry Ollison Ministries never sells, rents, or shares your email address. For more information, please contact office@ollison.org.