Life can be stressful. There is so much that you have to deal with over time. Health issues, financial troubles, relationship difficulties, or simply struggling to find work can all introduce extra stress into your life. When I consider why these various issues collectively lead to increased stress, I discover an overarching theme – uncertainty. It’s the ‘not knowing’ that we find so difficult to handle. Not knowing the results of that medical test until next week or not knowing how next month’s rent will be paid creates uncertainty, which leads to stress. The tension of a broken relationship or the difficulty of being out of work can cloud our view of the future, making things uncertain.
As a pastor, I’m convinced we don’t like uncertainty. We don’t want to be uncertain about anything. And this doesn’t mean just an uncertain future. When our past makes us feel unsure, it can affect us just as much. That’s why I’ve titled this part 1. In this first installment, I aim to explore how we perceive our past. If you are uncertain about how your past will affect your present and future, that uncertainty will continue to cause stress. In turn, that stress can cloud our perception of the present, especially when it comes to our salvation. But it doesn’t have to.
Perhaps you have memories from your past that refuse to fade. It might have been a situation where you failed a friend, got caught up in sin, or walked away from God. Although these events occurred long ago, they have become an integral part of your psyche, influencing the way you perceive yourself today. More importantly, they skew your perspective on how God views you. A twisted analysis of your standing before a holy God, based on your past and not on Christ’s work on the cross, always leads to uncertainty when it comes to salvation. That’s because you are focusing too much on your past and not enough on the finished work of Christ.
Romans 5:6-8 reads, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Paul makes it clear that on the cross, Jesus dealt with your past. The Savior paid every penalty for your past sins at the cross. When your mind brings up memories that make you uncertain about your salvation, remind yourself of what Paul teaches in Romans 5. The past has been dealt with once and for all. Then allow this to affect the way you live today as well as the way you live in the future. We’ll talk about that next time.
