Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits— Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities…Psalm 103:1 – 3a
There’s an old saying ‘nostalgia ain’t what it used to be!’ Sometimes remembering the past can be a negative and soul destroying process. We berate ourselves for decisions we have made or actions we have taken, or not taken. We tell ourselves we are useless and allow ourselves to become mired in our perceived past failures.
Remembering the past doesn’t have to be like that. The Psalmist urges us to look up and out – to stir our innermost being - our essence, that is, the soul, to bless the Lord. It’s a pre-emptive strike to defeat depression and melancholy. We bring to mind – not past defeats – but current victory. Not because we’ve done it all, but because God has. The God who has forgiven, not just a few, but ‘every one of our iniquities’. Simply put: whatever you’ve done for whatever motivation, if you are under the Lordship of Christ – you have been forgiven.
As you face this new week – your past is not your future! Gratefully praise God for that simple, life changing truth this morning and step out confidently into new your new beginnings.
