Isaiah 43:18

Day One

Well, I wish I had a short-term memory
Wish the only thing my eyes could see
Was the future burning bright right in front of me
But I can’t stop looking back
Yeah, I wish I was a perfect picture of
Somebody who’s never not good enough
I try to measure up but I mess it up
And I wish I wasn’t like that

I wish I wasn’t wishing anymore
Wish I could remember that nobody’s keeping score
I’m tired of throwing pennies in a well
I gotta do something
Here goes nothin’

It’s day one of the rest of my life
It’s day one of the best of my life
I’m marching on to the beat of a brand new drum
Yeah, here I come
The future has begun
Day one

Well, every single day Your grace reminds me
That my best days are not behind me
Wherever my yesterday may find me
Well, I don’t have to stay there
See my hourglass is upside down
My someday soon is here and now
The clock is tickin’
And I’m so sick and tired of missing out

It’s day one
And here comes the sun
Every morning, every morning
Every morning, mercy’s new
Every morning, every morning
Every morning, I will fix my eyes on You
Every morning, every morning
Every morning, mercy’s new
Every morning, every morning
Sun’s coming up, the beginning has begun

Starting over, I’m starting over
Starting over, I’m starting over, starting now
I’m starting over
Starting over, I’m starting over
Starting over
Starting over, starting now
I’m starting over

Singer / Songwriter: Matthew West along with Pete Kipley

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
Lamentations 3:22-23

Every day we can start over! Isn’t that awesome? I don’t know about you, but I can certainly use a do-over every now & then. (Ok, let’s be real—every day I need at least {1} do-over!)

Does this describe you? “But I can’t stop looking back….” I know it does me. Too often I get focused on the past. Satan loves to bring up our mistakes, our failures, and our bad choices to keep us from moving forward. Isaiah 43:18 (NIV) tells us to “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Philippians 3:13b (NLT) reminds us to “…Focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,”

Or, as this song says:
“Well, every single day Your grace reminds me
That my best days are not behind me
Wherever my yesterday may find me
Well, I don’t have to stay there”

We do not have to remain locked in the past.

1 Peter 1:3 states that in “His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope….” Each day His mercies are new. Each day we have that living hope. Ephesians 4:23 (NIV) affirms that we are “…made new in the attitude of your minds….”

I love this verse from Isaiah 60 (AMP):

Arise [from the depression and prostration
in which circumstances have kept you —rise to a new life]!
Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord),
for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!

We can arise from our past, our circumstances. Each morning the glory of the Lord rises upon us! Isn’t that amazing? I am astounded that He loves us that much. Each morning we arise to a new life. Hallelujah!!!

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Father, I am so thankful that each day is the first day of the rest of our life. I am so thankful You view us through the blood of Christ and that His mercies are new each morning. Remind me to leave the past behind where it belongs and to look forward to the wonderful future You have for me. In Your Holy Name I ask this, Amen – It Is So!

Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Finding Forgiveness and Freedom from Guilt

Dear Coach Megan,

I am really struggling with letting go of feelings of guilt I have had over things I did a long time ago. I am hoping that you can give me some direction on how to let go of this guilt that is keeping me locked up inside. I know God needs me free from this so that I can truly live free and forgiven for his glory. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give! ~S.J.

Thank you so much for your questions, S.J!

I remember when my kids were little and they would fall and scrape their knee on the playground. They would come running towards me at full speed, tears in their eyes for me to kiss it and make them feel better. It always worked, every time….a big hug and lots of love always made the sting of a scrape feel that much better. A few moments later, they would run off again, to play in the sun without a care in the world. The same is true when we take our bruised and broken lives to God…. He forgives and forgets, and it ALWAYS works! AND…when we trust in Him, He takes away all the guilt.

Luke 5:20

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Please, dear friend, do not stay stuck in the ditch of guilt! God has so much bigger and better plans for you that cannot be fulfilled to their fullest until you let yourself be FREE and transformed! I have some practical steps for you today that I pray will help you grow in Christlike maturity and bring all your guilt to our forgiving God for good! Grab a journal, print this out, and get ready to work through all the guilt that is holding you captive so you can finally be set free!

1. Find the source of your guilt

Examine why you feel guilty
Determine if your guilt is true or false
Use Scripture as the ONLY standard for determining true guilt

Psalm 51:6

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

2. Own the responsibility for your sin

Agree with God that you are guilty of sinning
Ask God to reveal your personal sin patterns
Make restitution to those you have sinned against

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

3. Realize and believe that God means what He says

Thank God for the gift of His Son, who paid for your forgiveness
Thank God for His unending forgiveness, even if you don’t feel forgiven
Choose to believe what God says

Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

4. Stop and give up for good dwelling on the past

Give up holding on to past pain
Give up self-condemnation
Give up refusing to forgive others

Isaiah 43:18

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

5. Invest time in renewing your mind

Memorize scriptures that reinforce God’s forgiveness
Remember that in Christ, you are a “new creation” {2 Corinthians 5:17}
Learn to see yourself as a valuable child of God

Ephesians 4:22-23

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

6. Verify satan’s lies to God’s truth when satan accuses

Learn to discern the difference between the Holy Spirit’s voice and that of satan
Answer satan’s accusations with truth from Scripture
Verbalize a personal prayer receiving God’s forgiveness

Isaiah 54:17

“No weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.

7. Exchange your life for the life of Christ

Understand you cannot live the Christian life in your own strength
Allow Christ to transform you and live out His character through you
Continue to nurture the Holy Spirit’s presence through personal prayer and Bible study

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

8. When you obey Him, God brings your feelings in line with the facts

Know that God is a God of second chances
Know that your feelings won’t change immediately
Know that feelings usually follow thinking

Psalm 32:1-2

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Dear God,

We ask You to give us the discernment to know when we are feeling false guilt instead of true guilt. Please Lord, have Your Spirit convict us when we are headed the wrong way so that we will get on the right path and be in line with Your will. We also pray that we will always be sensitive to the convicting touch of the Holy Spirit’s hand. Thank You that we are forgiven and set free through the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. We pray these things in Your holy name, amen <3

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂

Day One

We do not have to remain locked in the past.