The document discusses the concept of forgetting the past to live in the present, emphasizing the need for healing and spiritual growth. It outlines the importance of recognizing past hurts, the role of resentment and fear in spiritual health, and provides a 12-step process for healing. The document also includes insights on self-esteem, forgiveness, and encourages a proactive approach to confronting challenges and building a positive self-image.

1. Living in the Now
&
Forgetting the Past

2. Healing from
Forgetting the Past
---------------------
&
Living in the Now

3. Definition of “forgetting”
As used in Philippians 3:13 “Forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…”
Forgetting comes from a word that means:
•forget
•neglecting
•no longer caring for
•forgotten
•given over to oblivion
How do I forget the past?

4. The Importance of Healing from the Past
lf you are not living in the NOW,
you are living in the PAST
Evidence of Living in the Past
• Reliving old hurts as if they just happened
• Taking about people behind their backs
• Reacting to current situations based upon unresolved situations
• You have built walls around you to prevent future hurts due to past
hurts.
• Guilt feeling for things you have already repented and confessed
• There people you just can’t forgive for hurting you.
• Reactive instead of proactive
• Hearing the critical voices

5. 12 Steps to Spiritual Healing
• We must recognize that we need help (Get out of denial)
• Believe that God can restore you
• Make a decision to turn your will and life to the care of God
• Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
• Admit to God and another human being the exact nature of your wrong
• Become entirely ready to have God remove all defects of character
• Humbly ask Him to remove our shortcomings
• Make a list of people we have harmed and become willing to make amends
• Make amends to such people when not harmful to them or you
• Continue to make personal inventory, promptly admit wrongs
• Seek through prayer and meditation to improve your conscious contact with
God by prayer and meditation praying for the knowledge of His will for you
and the power to carry it out.
• Experience a spiritual awakening, carry the message to others and practice
these principles in all your life affairs.

6. Made a searching and fearless
moral inventory of ourselves
Romans 13: 11-14
• resentment * • fear of authority
• fear * figures
• inappropriate anger * • frozen feelings
• approval seeking • isolation
• caretaking • low self-esteem *
• control • irresponsibility
• fear of abandonment • over responsibility
• repressed sexuality
List your Strengths

7. Resentment
Galatians 5:19-20
• a feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as
a wrong, insult, or injury
• Resentment is an underlying cause of many forms of spiritual disease.
Our mental and physical ills are frequently the direct result of this
unhealthy condition. Resentment only punishes you.
• Feeling injured
• Feeling violated
• Experiencing low self-worth
• Feeling left out
• Angry / Bitter
• Resentment is best released by asking God for the strength
to forgive the offender. You cannot hold resentment and get
healing at the same time.

8. Fear
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because
fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made
perfect in love. I John 4:18
• Fear is an underlying cause of many forms of spiritual
disease. It is the response we feel when we aren’t in
control of a situation. A wide range of physical and mental
ills are the direct result of this unwholesome emotion.
Learning to acknowledge fear in a healthy way is an
important part of our recovery. When we fear we may:
• Feeling threatened Resisting change
• Fighting for survival Facing our mortality
• Experiencing rejection Anticipating loss

9. Inappropriate Anger
Anger is a major source of many problems in the lives of adults who are reared in chaotic homes.
It is a feeling that we often suppress, because admitting it make us uncomfortable. In our chaotic
homes, the turmoil was so intense that we either denied our anger or expressed it inappropriately.
Denying anger or expressing it inappropriately causes problems in relationships because we can-
not be truthful about our feelings and must always be pretending.
Genesis 4 1-16
• Resentment • Depression
• Self-pity • Jealousy
• Anxiety • Stress

10. Low Self-Esteem
• Self-Image= How we see ourselves
• Self-Concept= How we think about ourselves
• Self-Esteem= How we feel about ourselves
• Low Self-esteem is rooted in our early childhood. During this time we were
rarely encouraged to believe that we were adequate or important. Because
of constant criticism, we believed we were bad and the cause of many
family problem. To feel accepted, we tried harder to please. The harder we
tried, the more frustrated we became. Low self-esteem affects our ability to
set and achieve goals. We are afraid to take risks. We feel responsible for
things that go wrong, and when something goes right, we do not give
ourselves credit. Instead, we feel undeserving and believe it is not going to
last.
• Non-assertive
• Fear Failure
• Appear inadequate
• Isolate from others
• Have a negative self-image
• Rescue or please others

11. Living in the NOW
• Putting your past hurts in perspective
• Reliving old hurts as if they just
• Confront people you have something
happened
against
• Taking about people behind their backs • The ability to respond to current
• Reacting to current situations based misdeeds without becoming historical
upon unresolved situations • You are open to the vulnerability of
• You have built walls around you to being in a relationship
prevent future hurts due to past • Feel forgiven and cleansed, Forgive
hurts. yourself
• Guilt feeling for things you have already • Forgive / release others for the wrong
repented and confessed they have done to you
• Ability to be proactive, decide how you
• There are people you just can’t forgive
will deal with a challenge
for hurting you.
• Reactive instead of proactive
• High self-esteem through Jesus Christ
• Low- Self Esteem
• Hearing the truth.. You are forgiven and
• Hearing the critical voices from the loved by God.
past
Close your eyes

12. The Serenity Prayer
God,
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to
know the difference.
Living one day at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to
peace; taking , as Jesus did,this sinful world as it is, not as I
would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I
surrender to your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this
life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.
Reinhold Niebuhr

13. Healing: It’s a Journey not an Event
• Jesus will walk with
you personally
every step of the
way.
• Do you want us to
pray for you?
• We will pray with you
today to begin healing
from the past so you
can live in the now!
www.glendathomas.webs.com
glendamthomas@gmail.com