Welcome to the blog of Pastor Alton Stone, from Simpsonville, SC. Pastor Stone is a retired Ordained Bishop of The Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee with over 45 years of pastoral ministry.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Stories (Part 2)

1 John 2:8 "Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth."

We desperately try to hold onto all of the stories from our past that have hurt us as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives; but they aren’t really there. If they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or simply imagined storylines in our minds. Life gets a lot easier to deal with the moment we understand this and let the stories be laid to rest.

Imagine you’re blindfolded and treading water in the center of a large swimming pool, and you’re struggling desperately to grab the edge of the pool that you think is nearby, but really it’s not that far away.  Trying to grab that imaginary edge is stressing you out, and tiring you out, as you splash around aimlessly trying to holding on to something that isn’t there. It's in the darkness the stories of yesterday affect us so deeply.

Now imagine you pause, take a deep breath, and realize that there’s nothing nearby to hold on to.  Just water around you.  You can continue to struggle with grabbing at something that doesn’t exist or you can accept that there’s only water around you, and relax, and float. In spite of the blindfold you know you are close to the edge.

Today, I challenge you to ask yourself:

-What stories from your past are you are still desperately trying to hold on to?

-How is it affecting you in the present?

Realize the story you’re trying to hold on to doesn’t really exist anymore.  Let go and just floating. The darkness is past. Recognize how that will change your life from this moment forward and swim to safety.

Ecclesiastes 3:15 "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."

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