Devotional: Letting Go of The Past

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isiah 43:2

Walking with God is no easy task. I often hear from my pastor that many Christians believe that life should suddenly become easy once they take their walk with Christ seriously. But that’s hardly the case. Grace and mercy isn’t to be abused or given automatically because you are saved.

The scripture above draws a picture of how our walk with God is. We travel through the deep waters of life and endure the trial by fire, yet all the while God helps us to get “through” safely. It doesn’t say God takes us around or avoid the hard times in life, but He guides us “through.” We still feel the waters, still swim through the deep end, and endure the heat of fire. So there is no avoiding the harsh parts of life. Yet through His protection and grace we make it through.

Now, depending on how long your season of trial endures, it can affect you psychologically. Imagine not just months, but years of waiting on God’s promise for your life. You’re not complacently waiting either, but continuing to grow spiritually, continuing to grow physically and continuing to grow both mentally and emotionally. You’re not avoiding the hard work of self-growth. In addition to the incremental steps of growth, life is throwing you curve balls—a death in the family or two or even three, financial loss, or separation for old social groups. Drastic changes are occurring in your life that can leave you questioning “where is God?” Seasons of loneliness, isolation, or even depression can all be apart of the journey of God’s transformation for your life.

Yes, we hold onto God’s word, “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31. Continually, we surrender to God’s will for our lives and we see His return, we receive answered prayers, we rejoice and praise His goodness. But what happens at the wake of His deliverance for our lives, and we feel scared?—doubtful even that we have the capacity to deal with all the blessings He has for us.

Thoughts of hardship return in our mind, memories of our plans not working out and toxic relationships remind us of all our pain. What do we then, when our minds are stuck in the past?

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

The Bible teaches us to reframe our experiences, as well as to have comfort in the companionship of Christ: we are not alone in our suffering. We should rejoice, praise, claps our hands, look up and lift our eyes to our God in heaven. There is purpose in our pain, so let it not go to waste. Let God redeem your trial by fire.

There’s a beautiful thing that happens when change our posture, not just spiritually, but quite literally our physical posture. Notice how your posture is right now. Are you slouching? Is your head in a forward position? Are your shoulders rolled forward and down? Relate it to your mood. Think about when you see people who often look down and what they’re projecting about how they feel. When you begin to literally look up to the ceiling you change your head position. Your shoulders roll back and your chest opens up. You breathe better because your airways open up. Notice how you feel now compared to before. Simply changing the position of our heads can influence not just our moods but the things we also think.

As we continue to build better spiritual habits, by uplifting our hands in praise, let’s also be conscious of lifting our head up and back to open our voices and praise. It’s important to facilitate our growing spiritual life through our bodies. If we are weak physically and don’t take time to rest, we are limited in the amount of work we’re able to do for God. Minding our posture and the position of our head is to enhance our fellowship with Christ. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit after all. 1 Corinthians 6:19.

I pray that the Holy Spirit speaks to your individual circumstance, In Jesus name, Amen.

For any questions or concerns:

COACH Dee

Online Personal Trainer CPT: ACE & Trauma Informed Weight-lifting

About the Author: Coach Dee

Deborah Park, known as Coach Dee, is the owner of Drip Training LLC and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach with a background in architecture and kinesiology from the University of Virginia. With years of experience in physical therapy settings and fitness coaching, Coach Dee pairs her expertise with a steadfast commitment to honoring God in her work. Her faith is the foundation of her approach, helping individuals strengthen their bodies and renew their minds through biblical principles and disciplined action.

Coach Dee’s perspective is shaped by her own testimony of perseverance, including recovery from a life-altering car accident that led to PTSD and chronic pain. She now encourages others to overcome their trials by leaning on God's Word and His unwavering promises. Through her writing and coaching, she seeks to inspire readers to pursue strength, resilience, and a deeper relationship with Christ as they navigate life’s challenges.