The Painful Past
Unfortunately many people in the body of Christ come from homes that were filled with abuse, verbally and physically, neglect, and selfishness. Many of us received mental scars from our childhood that are controlling how we live today. It seems that many Christians are continuing to focus on the faults of their parents and society in general for their failures. It’ s difficult to understand, but believers in Jesus Christ are saying, it’s so hard for me to stop thinking about how terrible my life has been. Many want to know why they were born in this or that family. Why are they black? Why are they white? Why were they born to poor parents? Why were their parent’s drug addicts or alcoholics? Why is my parent a homosexual or lesbian? If these were not Christians speaking this way it would not be that big of a concern, but these are Christians who continue to struggle with their past. One has to wonder. Are these folks really saved? Or are they just carnal Christians that do not want to put their total faith in Jesus?
The answers to those questions will be different from person to person, but one thing is common and that is people that continue to struggle with their past are unable to see the future. Read here what 2 Peter says in chapter 1 verses 4-9, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” So, according to Peter the believer that is unable to focus on the promises that where obtained for him/her through the shed blood of Jesus will be unfruitful. The believer that gives more heed to the damaging experiences of their past instead of Christ redemption for their sins will be unable to confidently minister to others including his/her own household.
Children Inherit Parents Painful Past
The most terrible consequence of a parent not forgetting their past is that more than likely the hurt and frustrations will be acted out on or demonstrated toward the children. For, example a child raised in the home of alcoholics is more likely to experience verbal and physical abuse than a child that has not. Another example is a boy being raised in a house where the father is a closet homosexual and the dad’s anger is always reflected at the boy because he doesn’t want his son to grow up like him. The last example is even more terrible because every little boy wants to grow up and be like his father. Or what about the mother that may have been sexually abused by her dad, uncle or some close relative, that now teaches her daughter not to trust men or turns her son into a momma’s boy. Or what about the divorced parent that teaches the children to hate the other parent because they are no longer together. Saints these are real issues effecting Christians everyday. If the parents don’t put their hope in Christ they will simply perpetuate this life of pain from one generation to the next. In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul says, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Many of the mental scars parents have today are rooted in fear and so that fear drives them where they didn’t want to go, which is being like their parents. However, 1 John 4 teaches there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. 2 Timothy 1:7 teaches that God has not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Christ Has Erased Our Pain
Saints, as a father and believer in the Lord Jesus I could reflect on how imperfect my childhood was and how it has prevented me from achieving great things, but I won’t do that because God gets no glory from it and it will only hurt me and those I love. There is no hurt Jesus cannot heal if we choose to trust in him. Many believers can’t move from their pain because they have not gotten rooted in Christ. Read what Mark 4:16-17 says, And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no “root”(grounding) in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. The Greek word for offended is “skandalizo”, which means to cause to sin. Consider this, by not being grounded and rooted in the word of God we are caused to act on our old sinful nature. Saints, when we take our minds off of the word of God we begin to walk in the flesh, which brings all those horrible memories to haunt us. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Though wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stay on thee because he trusts in thee.” So, don’t leave your children with memories of hurt and pain, but of the joy and peace that comes from trusting in Christ. Amen.
I pray that God will not allow your children to experience your past.
In Jesus Name
