Quotes from Getting Past Your Past

When you make a mistake you get another chance. Today is always a new day and plenty of opportunities exist for better relationships, personal achievement, joy, contentment, and growing closer to God. Failure is not stumbling or even falling down. Failure is staying down and refusing to embrace the new day. "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalm 118:24

Revenge, anger, getting even -- they all seem like a good idea at the time. Until we realize the pain directed at the person who hurt us is like a boomerang: the animosity and hostility returns to us and smacks us on the head. Unless you like being bitter and resentful...try forgiveness. It's God gift to you.

What is true about you today doesn't have to be true about you tomorrow. "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" -2 Corinthians 5:17

Forgiveness: It's not as much for the offending party as it is for you. Maybe they will sleep a little better at night or be able to look in the mirror without quite as much guilt. Maybe they won't. You are spared carrying around burdens like resentment, anger, and bitterness. Forgiveness may not be fair, but it is good.

The past: We can’t change a darn thing about it. We can and should learn from it: the good, the bad, and ugly. And, somehow, we have to put it behind us. Doing things such as this sure beats the alternative. I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. –Philippians 3:13

Forgiveness doesn't change a darn thing about the past. It only changes the future. You get to choose your priority: yesterday or tomorrow. "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." -Ephesians 4:32

Saying sorry does't necessarily mean you are totally wrong and the other person is totally right. Both parties most likely share at least part of the blame. Apologizing is a starting point to reconciliation and simply means you value your relationship with that person more than you value your ego.

Forgiveness isn't overlooking an offense from another party. Overlooking the deed is either enabling a self-destructive behavior or being a doormat - neither of which are wise alternatives. Forgiveness simply rises above offenses and hurts.

Most failures in life happen because people didn't realize how close success was when they quit. Success generally happens only a step or two beyond what once looked like our greatest failure. Don't give up or quit. Continue and finish strong. "Problems develop endurance. Endurance develops character. Character strengthens hope. And hope will not lead to disappointment." -Romans 3:3-5