Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. -Isaiah 43:18

We all have moments in our lives that we wish we could forget — mistakes, regrets, and failures that seem to haunt us. But dwelling on these things only traps us in a cycle of shame and disappointment. Thankfully, God offers us a way out, not just from our own past failures but also from the pain others have caused us.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us of God’s heart toward us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God’s plan for us is good, filled with peace and hope. However, when we refuse to forgive and instead hold onto past hurts, we allow the enemy to steal the peace that God wants to give us.

Jesus warns us in John 10:10 that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. When we harbor unforgiveness, we give the enemy a foothold in our lives, allowing him to rob us of the victorious life that Jesus came to offer. But there is a way to keep that from happening—through forgiveness. By releasing others from the debt we feel they owe us, we free ourselves from the enemy’s grip.

The Apostle Paul offers us some very practical advice in Philippians 3:13-14. He said, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” To move forward in God’s plan, we must let go of the past, forgive those who have hurt us, and press on toward the future He has for us.

Let’s choose today to forgive, release the past, and step into the overcoming life God has promised.