Philippians 3:13 says: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

The past is powerful. Every individual is the product of the past. We are molded by our response to experiences. These experiences either make us better or bitter. Success and failures are all products of life; they teach us something. Barack Obama said: “You can’t let your failures define you. You have to let your failures teach you.” Life is a teacher; we must accept to learn from its daily pill, sometimes bitter, at other times sweet, but they are all for the good of the total man. Success teaches us victory and failures teach us courage.

There is no one without a past; we all do. The past is so powerful that it can stop one from moving forward; those who look behind never go further and even when they attempt, they stumble. We are like runners in a track: Some one said: “A runner’s goal is to focus on the next step toward his/her goal. Paul’s spiritual life is the same. He will not look back to past steps, but focus on improving each step in his race until he reached the goal of being with Christ,” (www.bibleref.com).

The past must be understood as a especial part of our existence. The simple English Wikipedia defines past to mean: “The past is something that has already happened. If something has not happened yet, it is called the future. Most of the things that happened took place in the “yesterday.” It happened in the past and should be allowed to exist, but only where it belongs – in the past. I once saw some interesting catchwords; they were very interesting to me. They are: “Get over it!” “Move on!” “The past is gone!”

You must know this about wrongs.
People can hurt you intentionally.
People can hurt you mistakenly.
People can hurt you for the good reason.
People can hurt you for the very bad reason.
People can hurt you and may never remember, they did.
People can hurt you and still carry it like a badge of honour wherever they go.
People can hurt you and may not know how to right their wrong even when they may want to.
People may hurt you, but are scared of confronting you even when it hurts them equally for hurting you.
People can hurt and may never accept that they are wrong.

Therefore:
No man can say I have never wronged anyone — sometimes we can wrong without knowing it.
No man can say I will never wrong anyone in my life — most times life is unpredictable.
Now, hear this! The life-mutable wounds done to you may never be amended in this lifetime. Therefore, holding unto that which you cannot change is a risk of life.

According to Roy T. Bennett: “If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down. The weight of the past can be so heavy to the extent that it can become a “stamped” seal upon our soul. Most people who hold on to past wrong of others may have committed glaring sins and blunders that almost destroyed their own lives and that of others in the past. Let the past be past: “Get over it!” “Move on!” “The past is gone!”

Tips To Help You Heal From Your Past
• Stop blaming yourself for the past mistake.
• Forgive yourself for trusting the person or creating the opportunity.
• Keep away from people who would want you to keep up with the past bitterness.
• Incorporateselfcare into your daily routine.
• Spend time with positive people with whom you have a healthy relationship.
• Don’t allow anyone remind you of the past.
• Swap out negative thoughts for positive thoughts and selftalk.
• Don’t wait for apology, understand that some persons may never apologise to you.
• Forgive others, it makes you better and not bitter.
• Remember the damage resentment can erupt in your life.
• Be grateful for your helpers and be mindful of those who make you better, rather than those who make you bitter.
• Don’t forget the damage that traumatic situations can do to your mental, physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing.
• Create better memories.
• Intentionally distract yourself from old aching past memories.
• Don’t dare to change the past, it is past and should just be left but in the past.
• Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector, Ibru Ecumenical Centre, 08035413812.

In Isaiah 43:18-19, the Bible said: “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.” God is doing a new thing, God bless you!

• Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector, Ibru Ecumenical Centre, 08035413812.