Losing Thoughts From the Past

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Ryan&Amber2013

Puritan Board Senior
So I need some good verses dealing with how a Christian can fight the ongoing battle of the haunting thoughts of his former life - the shame, the memories, that gut-wrenching feeling that comes with them, etc.

What verse deals specifically with this? I found out that the "forgetting what lies behind" verse isn't referring to our past sins. I'm looking for a good passage that teaches us that we can truly bury those memories of our repented of past sins. Can we truly live with freedom from the haunting memories?

I would surely appreciate any help. Thank you.
 
I know what you mean and don't have all of the answers. Unless you have an IQ of 60, you will have many memories. It's just the business of the Old Man to tempt. He is week but the Spirit is strong. Ask for prayer but be careful how much you blab of this to your wife. Talk to a godly man about it.

I meant to suggest Romans 7.
 
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So I need some good verses dealing with how a Christian can fight the ongoing battle of the haunting thoughts of his former life - the shame, the memories, that gut-wrenching feeling that comes with them, etc.

What verse deals specifically with this? I found out that the "forgetting what lies behind" verse isn't referring to our past sins. I'm looking for a good passage that teaches us that we can truly bury those memories of our repented of past sins. Can we truly live with freedom from the haunting memories?

I would surely appreciate any help. Thank you.
First, Brother, I would caution you against looking for Scriptures to support a pre-supposed matter, and -instead- search the Scriptures and let them inform you of what you ought to believe.

For example, David acknowledges that his sin is ever before him (Ps. 51.3), but nowhere asks for the memory of his sins to be taken away. In Psalm 25.7 he asks the Lord not to remember the sins of his youth, but obviously does not mean that the Lord really "forgets" things; rather, he means for the Lord not to hold such sins against him for eternal judgment. Yet, we must take note that the Psalmist neither asks for said sins to be removed from his own memory, and it is clear by his cries that he does, in fact, remember them. If we are not reminded of our sins, will we remember the greatness of God's mercies? Are we to despair? To question the Lord's promises? Of course not.

With that in mind, the goal is not that our sins would utterly be forgotten by us, and any sense of guilt never to return upon our minds, but that we would make the proper and sanctifying use of them upon remembrance thereof:

1. Humility
2. No confidence in self, but in the mercies of God and the righteousness of Christ alone.
3. Thankful remembrance of God's mercy, such that we -instead of presuming upon God's grace- we are spurred to a greater care toward obedience
4. Considering the great debt of sins God has forgiven us in Christ, we would then turn, and forgive others for their comparatively meager and petty offenses against us.
5. A reminder that we are but dust, and we are great sinners, but He is a greater Saviour.
6. To be reminded of the temporal consequences of sin, such that we might be more on guard, know ourselves and our weaknesses better, and be more resolved in the mortification of them.
7. Etc.

None of this is to promote an obsession with past sins, and beating ourselves with the proverbial medieval whip; rather, for us to make a right use of the memory of our sins and the Lord's forgiveness thereof. It is the manner of the world to take away all sense of pain, suffering, affliction. It is the manner of God's sanctification of His people kindly to afflict us for our sins, with the memory of them, such that we would understand all pain thereby is salutary for our good, His glory, and unto a most edifying end.
 
Brother, I too struggle daily with this. I find sometimes that a certain smell, a store, a restaurant, music can flood me with memories that make me cringe in rememberance of who I was before Christ.

I do try and use this as a reminder of the Lord's grace He has bestowed upon me. That all those things had led me to this very moment, of knowing Christ.
 
Ryan:

You may have some particular questions about or matters to which you would wish to respond in re: Joshua's interaction with you, but I would heartily commend post #3, above, as an excellent answer to your query.

Just this additional thought: it was Paul at the end of his life and ministry (not a young, just-beginning Paul) who denominated himself "the chief of sinners" (I Timothy 1:15), recalling that he was once a "blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent" [of Jesus Christ and the Christian church]. Paul never forgot who he was and rejoiced that such a one as he had "received mercy" (1:13). He viewed it all through sanctified eyes.

May I suggest even further that we'll never forget who we were, and that we received mercy, seeing it all most clearly one day through glorified eyes.

Again, you may have legitimate concerns (still struggling with guilt, from which Jesus' blood has cleansed you), but you are not meant to forget the past; rather, our God would have you to come more and more to see it all through the lens of "but I received mercy" (I Timothy 1:13).

Peace,
Alan
 
I have some of the same issues. One particular place in Scripture that encourages me if I'm allowing myself to dwell on my past life is Philippians 3:13-14.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
 
Romans8:2---"for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." There is therefore now no condemnation. Though my sin is ever before me to this verse I fly for my comfort and safety.
 
I forget where Paul says it, "but such were some of you."

As to practically getting past it, part of it will take time and part will take growing in Christian maturity.
 
Once upon a time, I was in very dark sin...very dark. You know that Scripture in Romans 9:22, "What if God, desiring to show his wrath and make know his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he had prepared beforehand for glory-even us whom he has called, not from the Jew only but also from the Gentiles?"? I use this Scripture on myself. It doesn't fit exactly because I wasn't a vessel of wrath. However, I think I can use it to highlight the riches of his glorious mercy in my life.

I was hostile toward God and he dealt very patiently with me during that time. When he saved me and removed me from that horrid life of sin, he made known the riches of his glory to me a now vessel of mercy. It's all about him showing off his glorious mercy to his people. If there were no one to send to hell, it would be hard for him to show off his wrath against sin and make known his power to judge such people. However, if there were no one to send to heaven it would be hard to make known the riches of his glory to vessels of mercy.

I think he uses a similar principle with his own children. If you "never did anything bad", it would be hard to see a great contrast in your life pre-salvation and post-salvation. My eldest sister has a hard time with confidence in her salvation. She was, by all standards, a "good" person. By the time you get to me, the youngest child, you have a huge contrast of pre-salvation vs post-salvation. I definitely see the riches of his mercy in my life. I am able to look back on my life of sin and compare with my life in Christ and marvel at his mercy....not only marvel but rejoice!

Romans 8 is another encouragement to me. I am no longer under condemnation in Christ Jesus. I can look head on onto those past sins without fear, without feeling condemnation in order to look at Christ's glory. What a difference he has made in my life! That's something to rejoice in not to feel condemned over! If a person is moping over past sins all the time, you're not giving Christ the glory of him transforming you into a new creation. We have to make life Christ centered and not us centered.

Another Scripture for encouragement is Luke 7:47, "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
 
In Christ, there is a completely new creation. I know no one better as an example of this than my wife, Mary. I’ll bet she has said to me a hundred times that that was her former life and that person is no longer alive. All is made new. She has been an example to me.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Colossians 3:3
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
 
The Bible talks about putting off the old man and renewing our mind; maybe this applies.
I think it can be contrary to putting on the new man to get bogged down in particulars of the past. While we're compelled to gratitude by our inadequacy, we're also freed from our guilt and as far as east is from west, so far is our transgression removed from us.

Also see Genesis 41:51, Isaiah 43:25, Ecclesiastes 5:20.

God has forgotten our sins, we can take somewhat of an example from him. If we remain inordinately dwelling on our sin, we can remove our joy given by the Holy Ghost. We are not to mourn like those who have no hope, 1 Thessalonians 4. We have been translated from death to life. Don't let your meditation on your unworthiness get too sticky that your feet cannot move to God's mercy in Christ.

-B
 
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I think like Jimmy quoted, it is not out of context to reference Philippians 3 to speak on your past life.

The idea itself is not to forget sins, but for your focus to be on eternity. Throughout Philippians I see Paul focusing on eternity. He writes the letter from prison, and instead of starting off moaning about his imprisonment, he thanks God for the saints in Philippi and encourages them. He tells them that He who began a good work in them will bring it to completion. He tells them that his imprisonment is helping others to be more bold for the faith. His eyes were on eternity knowing it was far more important than his momentary afflictions he was facing. That is why when he debated going to heaven or staying home (obviously he wasn't going to kill himself!), he came to the conclusion that the reason to stay here was to glorify God here, not eyes on himself, but on Christ and eternity.

And in Philippians 3, just a few verses before verse 15, you see Paul explain his former life:

Philippians 3:3-10 English Standard Version (ESV)

3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God[a] and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death

I find it great comfort that my former life, everything gained, even that of value, is of great loss compared to knowing Christ.

If you are struggling with guilt of your former life, Romans 8 is one of the best passages to read. I've had to read that over and over in great depressions in my life.

If you are missing parts of your former life in sin, Philippians 3 is an excellent place to go. And Philippians as a whole continually reminds me that Paul, despite his extreme circumstances, was focused on eternity more than his own circumstances, and focused on the beauty of knowing Christ more than his trials. This also comforts me when I get distracted or lose sight of the prize.
 
Brother, I read this (again) from Sibbes today, and found it applicable (Works, Vol. 2, p. 263):

Quest. Before I go further, let me answer one question. Ought we not to think of our former sins? Shall God take them away altogether out of the soul?

Ans. Oh no! Take them away out of the conscience, O Lord, that it do not accuse for them; but not out of the memory. It is good that sin be remembered, to humble us, to make us more thankful, pitiful, and tender-hearted unto others, to abase us and keep us low all the days of our life, and to make us deal gently and mercifully with others, being sensible of our own frailties. As they are naught in the conscience, so they are good to the memory. Therefore, let us think often of this, what the chief desire of our souls to God should be for—mercy, to have sin taken away.​
 
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