We were on our way out of town, when I had to mail a letter. As I got out of the car and walked toward the mailbox, I followed my normal pattern and looked all around the yard of the big house by the local mailbox to see if the dog that viciously attacked my Mom and I when I was a little girl was out and about in the yard.
Then a thought occurred to me: The dog attacked me when I was in elementary school---it’s been over thirty years---that dog is dead.
As I got back into the car I started processing this information in my mind and doing some calculating: Factoring in ‘dog years’ with the time that had passed, today this mean old mutt would be between 150-200 years old. Even on the extremely rare possibility that he was alive, he certainly wouldn’t be able to run down the yard and attack anyone!
This dog was gone, and the only place that the fear of him was still alive and kicking was in my mind.
And it was time to MOVE ON.
The funny thing was that for me, this incident provided more than just the freedom to go for a walk in my neighborhood without the fear. It was also a message directly from the Holy Spirit about a situation in my life.
There had been a trauma. At the time, there was danger.
And yet, even years after God had dealt with the situation, protected me and provided all that I needed, I was still found myself looking over my shoulder fearful that the situation would reemerge.
As I rode in the car that day after dropping my letter in the mail, it was as if the Holy Spirit used that incident with the dog to speak to my heart and say, “The danger in this other situation is gone, too. The only place it is still alive is in your heart, and it’s time to let it go and realize it’s over.”
And with those words from the Holy Spirit, I knew that it was time to repent of the fear and begin walking on in faith and freedom.
Why am I sharing this today?
(Well, it certainly isn’t to prove what a genius I am!) No, it’s because I’ve lived long enough and met enough women to know that too many of us are dealing with the same issue.
We’re walking around in fear, in heartache, in turmoil, letting traumatic situations that occurred years ago control us today. And even though the circumstances may have changed, the person who hurt you may have moved away or even passed away, and the danger may be completely over, in your heart and mind, it is still alive and kicking.
It’s controlling your thoughts…
Keeping you from living the life you want to live and being the person you want to be…
It’s hurting your relationship with other people, and it even be interfering with your relationship with God.
Today, I believe that you need to hear the Holy Spirit say to you, “That dog is dead.”
Yes, it happened.
It probably shouldn’t have, but it did.
Yes, it was wrong. You didn’t deserve it, but you lived through it.
It was painful.
You didn’t think you’d make it, but you did.
And now it’s over.
You don’t have to live there anymore. It doesn’t have to control you anymore. There is healing and freedom available to you through Jesus.
You see, it isn’t God’s will for us to walk through life carrying the trauma and fear from the things that we’ve gone through like a suitcase full of garbage.
Instead, God’s perfect will is that we bring our baggage to the foot of the cross, pour it out, and leave it there as we arise free---victorious to share the testimony of how God helped us overcome.
Perhaps on of the best choices that you can make to start off this year is to realize that it's time to move and then begin taking steps in that direction.
Don't let one more day, let alone year, pass being controlled by your past. Instead, begin today to put it behind you and move forward in the freedom God provided.
To Learn More About Overcoming the Pain of Your Past,
Read Finding Healing,
