Chapter 5
A Prisoner of Our Past
In 1980 Actor/Director Robert Redford made one of greatest 
at I had been transported through time and space. Now, I do not want it to seem like I am writing a movie review here. Nor am I asking you to go out and rent the DVD. No, that is not what I am writing about at all. But for me to get my point across here, I have to tell just a little of this story to you. Conrad Jerrod is one of the main characters of the story. He is a seventeen year old boy who has recently tried to commit suicide because he feels responsible for his older brother who had been lost in a boating accident. Through out the entire movie we come to find that Conrad is struggling with something that he has not come to terms with. That he held on to the boat as his brother drowned on the rough seas and did not go in after his older sibling to try to save him, where they both probably would of died. Realizing that they shouldn't have been out there in the first place and that his life had been so guilt ridden Conrad finally comes to the realization that hanging on to the burden of blame was just too much for him to bare. So with the help of his psychologist Conrad gets emotionally healed and is freed from the guilt and burden of his so-called mistake. For the first time in a long time he could move on and not be a prisoner of his past. After seeing the movie again just recently many memories and feelings come to my mind and heart. I felt such a relief when this young man comes to terms at the end of the story with his guilt. Such a heavy burden released knowing that he could be forgiven and most importantly someone cared enough to be his friend and forgive him. You know sometimes we can be our own worst enemies. I ask you, isn't the world tough enough on most of us without our own selves beating us down to the point of submission and depression and sometimes suicide? I know some of our burdens are almost too hard to deal with. There are some of you today that have made some really bad decisions and have really messed up in your life. Believe me, I know, because I am one of you. There are days when the devil is sitting right at my front door reminding me of all I have done wrong. The tiny mistakes, the big mistakes, and all the medium ones in between. That is his job to keep us prisoners of our past and not experience the freedom that only Jesus Christ can give from the guilt of our mistakes. You know the Bible states that if we confess our sins to God that he is faithful and just to forgive us.( 1 John 1:9 ) That is right, that if you or I come to the Father in Heaven and ask him to start new we can be freed from any un-wanted guilt or burden and the falsehood that there is no way to move on. Your key to freedom is only a prayer away. I wonder today what you are hanging on to. Is it bad relationship with your parents? A lost love that you weren’t so kind to, that has left your life in the physical sense? A prison sentence that hangs over your head like a dark cloud for a stupid mistake you made when you were young? I don't know what it could be that is haunting you. Each one of us if we are truthful with ourselves has done some or many things that we are ashamed of and have not been able shake from our present. The reminder of our blunder or for most of us blunders, lingers in our minds on a daily basis keeping us in a paralyzed state of fear. I know there are millions of us out there who suffer from the ‘ not being able to move on syndrome’. The pain that this type of life style brings is mentally, physically and spiritually draining. I always tell the people in my life this statement. “There is no place, no where, no thought that you can hide from God. He is the creator Who knows what you are thinking before you think it and knows what you are going to say before you say it. He is the giver of second, third and of a thousand chances. A God that understands all of your pain and why you spend your life doing silly things like destroying yourself with guilt and fear. Before you can truly come to Him you must understand who He truly is. Your Father in Heaven. Your Creator and Redeemer, the only one who knows everything about you past, present and future. God is the only one who really knows what you’re thinking in your heart and understands the true motive of why we do everything in our lives.” Now that you have heard this today for the first time or maybe the hundredth time why would you stay in the prison cell any longer than you have to? I mean how long are you going to blame yourself for the mistakes you made with your divorce, or that bad business deal that made you go bankrupt, or that bad relationship with your earthly father or mother that seems to be never right or going to be healed? I have learned through the years that each day does not come back to us . Once it is gone and passes it is called one word,” history." That's right, history I said. There is nothing that you can do about your mistakes except learn from them and keep moving on. There is a key that will open your prison cell today and his name is Jesus. He is waiting for you to come to him and ask to be free. Tell him what is in your heart and the burden it bears. He is your God and He is your friend. Ask him for the freedom of the past and freedom from all the fear that living like that brings. Conrad Jerrod, well he was fortunate in the movie "Ordinary People". He got healed and experienced the freedom of realizing that he made a mistake and that he was not perfect before it was too late. Your time is now to do the same, don't you think? Here’s to making today and everyday a brand new start and a happy new beginning. Your journey of freedom begins today with Jesus Christ the one who stamps your ticket with his blood that reads your name and the word FORGIVEN. Scripture says, "If you hear God speak today, don't be stubborn. Don't be stubborn like those who rebelled." Hebrews 3:15 Have a great ride my friend, have a great ride!! Your Redeemer lives. Isn't it time you start to do the same.
Live, Live, Live!!!!
Al