Move Forward

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Photo by Ryan, Sunrise shining on the Rockies this morning

Happy New Year Everyone!  Welcome to 2020!  I don’t usually post this late, but I wanted to share a quick encouraging word for this first day of the new year before it’s over.

For the last few weeks leading up to today, I have been thinking a lot about moving forward.  Moving forward from my past mistakes and sins.  Moving forward past my regrets and shame, and truly living in the joy of His forgiveness and salvation daily!  Even after following Jesus for 23 years now, my past mistakes rob my joy far too often.  Once you come to Jesus you are free and forgiven and His blood covers all your sins, past, present, and future.  God is not keeping a record of wrongs on us.  He disciplines us when we mess up and He never leaves us.  Sanctification is a lifelong process and the Lord will prune us as needed.  He is the potter, we are the clay.

Dwelling on the past, especially the negative things we have done, does not do anybody any good.  Once we have repented of whatever it was that we did or said that was sinful, we need to move on in the Lord.  As long as we learn from our mistakes and grow, then the pain is not in vain.  The Bible promises that God’s discipline will produce a harvest of righteousness in us.  God can take our mistakes and turn it into something beautiful every time.  Don’t beat yourself up over things that were forgiven and forgotten by God the moment you admitted your wrong and turned from it.  Move forward in His grace!

These verses have been on my heart all day:

“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not

perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18-19

God wants to do new things in all our lives!  As one who suffers a chronic illness, I can say wholeheartedly that you must keep your hope strong that He still has good plans for you.  Trust in Jesus!  God can make a way where there is no way!  Keep trusting, praying, and believing and don’t give up!  Give that hurt from the past to God and rest in His forgiveness.  When you come to Jesus by faith, God removes your sins from you as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more.  Live in that wonderful peace every day of your life!

We only get one shot at life, friends!  Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, love your neighbor, and love each other!  That is what Jesus wants for all of us in 2020 and beyond!  May we not waste time hurting ourselves or others over the past.  Forgive yourself, forgive each other, and keep moving forward!

Grace and peace to you all!

Author: Ryan Callahan

Hello, and welcome to my site! I am an independent Christian author (One Man's Very Strange Supernatural Life), blogger, and evangelist for Jesus. My main goal with this blog is to help people come to know Jesus, help people understand the Bible, and to minister to a lost and hurting world. This site is about hope, new beginnings, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love! I'm glad you are here, God bless you! Copyright © 2023 Ryan Callahan. All rights reserved.

49 thoughts on “Move Forward”

  4. Amen, Ryan! You are so right. We must remember, and try real hard to do this for it will be so good for our mind, heart, and soul. Your encouraging message is awesome.

    Liked by 1 person

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  18. Ryan, I found strength in your uplifting words. We all have sin’s past baggage hanging around, and you are so right about our need to move forward (if we have asked for forgiveness and accept Jesus as Savior). I appreciate how your words bring both a challenge and comfort.

    Liked by 2 people

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  20. Thank you for these encouraging words. We need to let go of the past mistakes. We are blessed that God gave us a new day, a new year to start afresh. May you receive the desires of your heart this new year.

    Liked by 1 person

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