Each moment is a precious gift from God. We experience God’s presence only in the present. He wants us to experience each moment and to live each season of life to its fullest. To be “all there” wherever we are. As the prayer for serenity says, “Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time.” He has covered our past and He does not want us to worry about the future because He will be there when we get there.
One thing that can hinder our enjoyment of the moment is regrets and failures that plague us. Dwelling on our past mistakes keeps us in a state of guilt and shame, and robs us of our hope for the future.
The Word is clear about how we should handle these negative thoughts. Bring them to God, confessing all we have done and then receiving by faith the promise of his forgiveness. If we come in this way, we can be assured by the promise of his word that we are forgiven, that our sin is now buried in the depths of the sea to be remembered no more.
The Apostle John assures us, “If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just, true to His own nature and promises, and will forgive our sins and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 Jn 1:9 (AMP)
The Prophet Micah reminds us of the nature of the God we love, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19 (NIV)
And Isaiah quotes from God himselfI, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25
God, even God, is the one who has buried our sins in the depths of the sea and forgotten them. If God has forgotten, how can we continue to dwell on them. As Corrie Ten Boom reminds us, He puts up a “No Fishing” sign reminding us not to dredge them up again.
These are wonderful promises that we can embrace. Whenever our experience in the moment is being threatened by negative thoughts of guilt, shame, worry or fear let us immediately confess any sin that comes to mind, embrace the promise of forgiveness and cleansing love and move on in freedom to experience the joy, peace and rest He has promised. When we do this we are ready to fully experience and enter into the moment, the season and circumstances in which he has placed us for his glory.
Dear Lord, We need your help to fully experience all that you have for us today. Help us to bring all of our thoughts into obedience to Christ who has born all of our sins and carried them away. Remembering your forgiveness, we confess and let go of everything that hinders us. The past is gone and by your grace help us to run the race set before us embracing all the good things ahead for us in the future. May we live in this moment full of the joy, peace and freedom that you have for us. We rest in your unfailing love. Amen
