Rosen Journey

Over the last few weeks I have spent hours removing myself from numerous accounts and profiles of the church where I have served for the last 14 years.  After pastoring here in Ellensburg all this time, there are many places my name has found itself in connection with the church and its business.  But the right thing to do as I leave is to remove my name and have the church and it’s accounts ready for the next season that God is bringing along.  This whole process has brought on mixed emotions for sure.

Even today I spent time on the phone setting up our termination of service date for our home internet.  Not wanting to lose our business the internet company agent was trained to try and talk me out of my decision to end service.  It was funny because I finally just said, “We have to terminate because we are moving.”  Thinking that would end the back and forth I was surprised when the agent responded with, “Where are you moving to?”  To which I responded, “Africa”.  And finally he began to process our termination date.

If I am being honest, I think there are times in my life where I am holding on to things that I need to let go of.  What has served me well in one season may not be helpful in the next.  As God moves me into a new season I have to be able to find my identity not in what has my name on it, but instead in my obedience to God.

In pursuit of our heavenward goal the Apostle Paul said,  “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13-14. We see here an important and godly principle.  To move forward into what God has next, I have to be willing to release the past.  The past can hold us back from what God has next if we are not careful.  I believe there are three main reasons we hold on to the past.  First, we may love the past and not want to move on.  It can represent good times and an exciting and often comfortable season.  There may even be a longing to relive the past glory days.  

Another reason we struggle to move on is because of the familiarity of the past compared to the unknowns of the future.  They say “hindsight is 20/20”. How true that is!  But looking ahead into the future rarely brings that kind of clarity.  Our human nature compels us to stay close to the things we know, even if it’s long since past.  But faith calls us to venture out into a future of new possibilities.  

Another reason we struggle to move on in life is because of hurts we have experienced in the past.  Have you ever noticed that when someone gets hurt, the world stops for them?  They can’t or won’t move on because of the pain they feel in that moment or at that place.  When we get fixated on our pain it can become paralyzing causing us to relive the struggle over and over again.  Which in turn causes us to miss out on the joys and adventure that lie just ahead.  

So, what are you holding on to and how is it holding you back?  Are you stuck in the good ole days when you should be ramping up for new adventures?  Are you holding on to your kids when you should be releasing them?  Are you fixated on blaming others for past pain instead of healing and growing?

Whatever your reason for hanging on to the past, God asks us to release it.  As long as we hold onto the past, we miss out on the present and the future that God has for us.  So finish well, end the season, close the chapter.  In so doing we turn the page into the next chapter of God’s adventure over our lives.  Until we do, we will never embrace the new season to its fullest.