Have you ever needed to close chapters in your life? Sometimes it\u2019s simple. It was a great chapter but it\u2019s time to move on. Another may have been painful but you learned a lot and the time was right to turn the page. Then you have those chapters you go back and re-read because there was\/is so much there. You analyze every sentence to learn as much as you can before closing.<\/p>\n
Some chapters closed because you had no control over them. Others are kept open because they bring you happiness. You dip into them from time to time and remember with joy the moments those pages represent. Then there are the chapters you keep open because of fear. The \u201cwhat if\u201d scenario. As long as the page doesn’t turn tough decisions don\u2019t have to be made. Hard truths don\u2019t have to be faced. We leave chapters open because we don\u2019t want to deal with the aftermath.<\/p>\n
These open chapters are often like open wounds. Open wounds fester and you are constantly aware of their presence. Closing those chapters, healing those wounds often mean we may have to forgive someone\u2026or\u2026we may have to forgive ourselves. Closing these chapters may require us to look deep within ourselves and accept our failures and shortcomings. Closing these chapters will nearly always require grace\u2026to ourselves\u2026and to others.<\/p>\n
Closing chapters will bring us healing\u2026and growth. When we continually look back we are robbing ourselves of the beauty God has given us in the present. We are blinded to our future and to all of the hope it gives us.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases…” Lamentations 3:22a<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Closing chapters will take away fear\u2026Fear does not motivate us in a positive way. Fear keeps us on the defensive. The fear of the \u201cunknown\u201d can be debilitating. We make decisions based on what others may think instead of what we know to be right. The fear of \u201cwhat if\u201d will keep us lukewarm. When fears are faced\u2026our chains are gone. Strength is returned\u2026we are free.<\/p>\n \u201cI prayed to the Lord, and HE answered me. He freed me from all my fears.\u201d Psalm 34:4<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Closing chapters will enable us to move forward\u2026Letting go of past mistakes and past hurts allow us to clearly see the possibilities of hope God has set before us. Those \u201cwhat-if\u2019s\u201d don\u2019t seem so scary when we are looking at blank pages\u2026a clean slate\u2026provided by a forgiving, grace-filled God.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining towards what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal\u2026 Philippians 3:13<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n When I think of chapters\u2026 Peter pops to the front of the line. So many chapters\u2026<\/p>\n Peter…<\/p>\n \u2026stepped out on the water and sank. Matthew 14:30<\/em><\/p>\n \u2026fell asleep while Christ was agonizing in the garden. Matthew 26:40<\/em><\/p>\n \u2026denied Christ three times. Luke 22:57,58,60<\/em><\/p>\n \u2026cut off the ear of the high priests slave. He did not understand what had to happen. John 18:10<\/em><\/p>\n These chapters could have destroyed his confidence. He could have held on to those pages and been crippled for life. But what did Peter choose? He chose to write new chapters. Chapters that show how to hope, heal, and grow. Chapters that show fear does not belong in a Christians\u2019 life. Page upon page on becoming strong for the God who loves us most. Beautiful new chapters on courage and forgiveness and grace and moving forward.<\/p>\n Peter was able to write these chapters because he accepted the forgiveness Christ offered. He accepted grace.<\/p>\n \u201cPeter, do you love ME more than these?\u201d \u201cYes, Lord; You know that I love you.\u201d \u201cFeed My lambs.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPeter, do you love me?\u201d \u201cYes, Lord: You know that I love you.\u201d \u201cTend My sheep.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPeter, do you love me?\u201d \u201cLord, You know all things; You know that I love you.\u201d \u201cFeed My sheep.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n