[Aquila]

I don't know why I feel impressed to share this. The Lord showed me something unique several years ago that sounds wacky, and I risk it being laughed at by posting it, but it has helped many that I've shared it with.

Much of our pain, discouragement, hesitation, guild, shame, or self-condemnation is rooted in a memory of our past. The way we choose to experience the memory of the hurt or abuse, ill timed action, failure, or sin often causes us to limp through our spiritual lives. The Lord revealed something to me in my studies regarding "the mind of Christ". Sometimes in order to get to the next level we have to revisit those painful memories. We have to see them for the damage they are causing. We have to also move into the Spirit and begin to prophetically see them through the eyes of Jesus. When slow down, silence the mind, open the heart, and begin to allow the mind of Jesus to be activated in our inner man (our spirit) we can see those things as Jesus sees them. Often our greatest failures led us to our greatest moments in Christ's eyes. Sometimes the abuse is something that has been perpetuated for generations and must be brought before the Lord and forgiven for the sake of generations to come. Like the sins He bore to the cross, we have to bear them as part of our priesthood and carry them to Him to heal and forgive...and so the terrible thing that happened to us... had to happen that we might cleanse ourselves and break the cycle. Sometimes we have to see those who have harmed us through the eyes of Jesus... and truly... forgive, pleading the blood on their account. When we have truly redefined those painful memories through the eyes of Jesus Himself, we can be set free from the guilt, shame, condemnation, and pain. One can also envision what happened, and pray for one's self. Yes, I know it sounds strange at first. But picture one of your greatest failures. Soak in the memory, and pray for yourself as you feel the mind of Christ manifest. Hear the words that Jesus is speaking through you, about you, and for you. Hear the grace, the love, the understanding. Hear... the hope. Hear how much faith He has in you. You're not defeated. That wasn't a crushing blow. See it as He sees it. And release how you have defined it all these years. I call it, Healing The Past...because I don't know what else to call it.

I don't know why I felt the impression to share that. Most will laugh at it or critique it. And that's fine. Truth can always stand up to the fires that test it. And if we're seeking to be as authentic as we can be, we should welcome criticism and trial when it comes to test what we have experienced or have come to believe. What is true will always be left standing. And any rough edges or lose ends will be smoothed out and burned away. Our understanding will ultimately be refined. In this, especially on these forums, we serve one another an eternal service. Only eternity will reveal how we've actually helped one another through from glory to glory and ultimately... to Heaven itself.