“Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”

Hosea 6:3

Have you ever stopped to think about the one thing that God can’t do? Wait a minute?! Did she just say that?! The God who makes the sun rise and the moon set? The God who changes the seasons and sends rain to refresh the earth? The God who makes the mountains crumble to the seas? That God? Is there anything that God cannot do?

Yes, I believe, there is. God cannot change the past. He cannot change the choices that we’ve made. But ya’ know what! He can redeem them! He not only will forgive our bad choices, but He’ll turn them into something good to be used for the future.

One of the greatest emotions I hear when I spend time at the jail is regret, remorse, and guilt. Many of the inmates sit day after day, imprisoned by their emotions and beating themselves up as they face the consequences for their choices.

And many of us are imprisoned too. We all have made bad choices and though some of our consequences are more severe than others, those consequences and the choices we made do not define who we are moving forward. They simply help us remember who we were, what we did, and hopefully, motivates us to learn from those mistakes.

But in order to move forward, we must realize where our mercy, forgiveness, and freedom comes from. It isn’t something we get from ourselves. It isn’t something created by others. It comes from God Himself.

David was one of the greatest men in the Old Testament. He was a shepherd, a giant-killer, a warrior, a poet, and a king. And of course, it was from his lineage that Jesus was born. But David was also a sinner! A repeated sinner. And His sins were great, but so was his God!

Psalm 51 begins with David crying out to God, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins”. This Psalm is a great example of pressing on to know the Lord. David’s plea to God was heartfelt for he realized how deeply he needed the Lord. He realized the impact of his sin. He realized how faithful God is. And he was confident in the hope of salvation that was gifted by God. David knew that mercy comes from God alone. And he knew the power of confession, repentance, and dependence on God to make better and right choices in the future.

If you too are beating yourself up, or you just can’t move past your poor choices, this is a great place to start in seeking God’s trust. As you read all of Psalm 51, reflect on your stumbling blocks and then on the character of God. Ask God to help you move past your regret and help you determine what to do next. Ask Him to help you with your temptations (He will always give you a way out). But most of all, ask Him to “create in you a new heart and renew a right spirit in you”. Then expect His response! Freedom will surely come when we seek Him with broken spirits but hopeful hearts.

So no, God can’t take away your past, but he will turn your darkness into light. He will move you into new seasons of life. He will take those mountains of guilt and throw them into the sea. And best of all, He can and He will change your future! Will you press on to know Him? Will you trust Him with your heart? Will you let Him guide your future? Will you accept His forgiveness and freedom so you too can joyfully sing His praise?

Oh, that we might know and remember the Lord, for His mercy is great and His love is unfailing!

Psalm 51

#SaturdaySoulSearch