I'm headed for the sewing room to spend the day - and can hardly wait to get there. :) But I'm leaving you with something to ponder this weekend that Beth Moore said in the study of Esther this week: "You can't amputate your history from your destiny."
I love this and have found it to be so true in my life. But I'd love to hear your take on it...please?
15 comments:
I didn't even realize it but that is what I try to do with parts of my past. Otherwise, I fear the future sometimes. The past is a part of who we are and yet how do we go forward positively when the past was so negative? I'll be interested to hear what others say.
Our history is our history. There is no changing history. It's molded and made us who we are, whether it be good or bad. How it impacts our future depends on how we use the knowledge we gained from our history. We can either learn from it and press on or wallow in it. The choice is ours. I think back to some of the life markers that have molded me and how they have all played into God's plan for my life that at the time I didn't understand. God is good, although sometmes it's hard to see from our earthly view. God has a way better view than we do and through Him we can turn our mess into a message for others.
I have to think on this some more but the phrase "Never forget where yuou came from" springs to mind. How true and something I can't imagine ever doing. I hope not anyway.
What a statement!!! Sometimes I am sure we would all like to amputate a part of it....but just doesn't happen.
Love that Marlene! I've learned to embrace my past instead of trying to wish it away. God is using my past in my present and instead of making me feel shame He is using it for His glory. One of messages from Beth that helped me with this was "The God Who Is, Was and Is to Come". Helped me to finally cross the bridge into His freedom!
I know you're enjoying this study. I did it a year ago. Beth is an amazing teacher.
Mama Bear
Marlene, I have taken Beth Moore's study of Esther. It is AWESOME and gets even better each week. Our history is part of our life history. I do not believe in coincidences -- it's a God thing. Everything that happens in our lives shapes us, builds character and makes us the person we become. Grace comes from every situation where the situation is a positive or negative experience -- we can always learn from these experiences. We just have to trust God and turn to him both in joy and sorrow.
Great quote Marlene. I am who I am because of where I've been and all that I have experienced, and since I am a work in progress, the things I do, and feel and think today, are all a part of who I am becoming. Does that make sense? I praise God for all that I have experienced in life, both the good and the bad. They have helped to make me who I am and who I am becoming. xxoo
This thought is one of the themes of a fascinating novel by Robertson Davies, The Rebel Angels. I've read the book a couple of times. The image of a mighty tree is used -- what you can't see is the massive root system that is as big as the part of the tree that is visible.
Whew, I had not thought about it just like that. All that I am is because of where I have been. And I can't get to where I am going without where I have been. Does that make sense? I am not sure. But the good the bad and ugly of the past controls where I am going. Lots to think about.
I don't think I can add anything that hasn't been said. We are who we are - and God has a wonderful plan for us. No matter what our past has been. ~Adrienne~
This is kind a double response, once to the prior post and one to this one. Sometimes I feel in my role of mother, daughter and wife I expect more of myself than my family expects of me and I strive so hard to meet those expectations. I try to meet the roles of homemaker while also working full time and its just so hard to accept that I can not do it all.
As far as amputating our history, I can not count the times I have said I can start over, only to find that I have to stop in order to start over, and that I can never completely stop whatever it was I was trying to end, if that makes sense. So of course, my past colors my future.
Your post gives us reason to ponder. I have enjoyed reading all the comments. I agree that our past has made us who we are because of the experiences we have had. However, I believe that we are the designers of our future by the choices we make. With God's help, we can make good lives and good things come from even the most difficult of times.
Very true we are the sum of are all our past mistakes and triumphs. They makes us what we will be in the future.
Long story, but exactly what she's talking about. My husband was newly divorced and devastated when I met him. I never dreamed of even dating him at that time, but we became good friends for several months. I then went overseas for two years, and we never wrote or communicated, but obviously God had plans for us I couldn't have imagined. When we first admitted we were dating, he felt so unworthy. I really couldn't believe that I had peace about dating him, but I did, and as a result, I told him that I thought he was about to have an encounter with grace. He later said, "Remember when you told me you thought I was about to receive grace?" I told him no, that I had said he was about to have an encounter with grace, but whether he received it was completely up to him. That has always stuck with both of us. Our life together has been such a grace-filled journey--God has done a beautiful work in both of us. I am certain that I could not have married the man he was before his first marriage and divorce--his history (and mine) was TOTALLY part of both of our destinies.
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