1Timothy1v12-13. ‘And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into ministry. V13 ‘Who was before a blasphemer, and a prosecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.’

Dearly Beloved, it’s such a delight to know that we can be free from the horrible effects of our past. Everyone has a past that they are not proud of but glory be to God; your past has no more power over you because God has given you a way out. There are ways of profiting from your past and this is what this series of teachings is all about. In our last lesson, I shared one of such keys with you. Today by his grace, I will be sharing another powerful key to breaking free from the past. I am sure you are ready for this, so off we go!

HOW TO PROFIT FROM YOUR PAST?

2. Find the good and dwell on It. This is one of the ways by which you can profit from your past. No matter what happened to you in the past, there is still something good left behind. No matter how bleak or dark it may look, there are still some good things therein. Look at the story of Joseph, for instance. Although he was sold as a slave in Egypt but some of the good things therein are that that was the place he met Potiphar and the Chief Butler. So, my dear brothers and sisters, stop dwelling on the errors and mistakes. Choose to focus on the good instead of the bad. Gen50v20, Neh13v2.

And how in the world can you accomplish this? You focus on the good by:

-Focusing on the process and not the pain. My dear reader, focus on your goals and not what you are going through. Focus on where you are going and not what you are going through. Soon the pain will be over and the glory will remain. Focus on the lessons and not what you have lost.2Cor4v17

-Focus on your strengths and not your weakness. Stop focusing on what you don’t have; instead, focus on what you have. Focus on the positives and not the negatives. God is able to work out a miracle if you choose the right focus. Isa60v22. So my dear reader, don’t let the devil steal your peace and joy.

-Have a grateful heart. Gratitude is the key to graceful life. So, make sure you maintain a grateful heart amidst whatever you might be going through. Never take things for granted! Chose gratitude over complaining. Doing this will put you in the right position for lifting and turnaround. 1thes5v18: Col3v17

So, my dear friends, are you ready to choose your focus wisely?

Other Scriptural References: Philem1v6: Philip4v8: Pro23v18: Ps25v15: Rom8v18: Eph5v20; pPs34v1-2:2Ki4v2

Prayer for Today: Lord, help me see the good in my Past. Help me to keep my focus right so that your name might be glorified.

CONFESSION: Lord, I receive the power to keep my focus right. Help me to maintain the right attitude even in my pains and challenges. Help me to see the good and not just the bad. Thank you, Father, for using my response in working out my deliverance. Hallelujah!