TIME WARP
Have you ever considered yourself or someone you know caught up in a time warp? By definition a time warp is "an imaginary spatial distortion that allows time travel in fiction, or a hypothetical form of time dilation or contraction." This time warp may be imaginary, fictional, and hypothetical but to the individual experiencing it, has become a reality of bondage leading to restricting and hindering the present and future.
For instance, in Ecclesiastes 7:10: "Do not say: How is it that former times were better than these? For it is not in wisdom that you ask about this." Yesterday has passed into memory and today is being experienced while tomorrow is but a dream. Many are caught up in shoulda, woulda, coulda with regrets and missed opportunities. To some it was the glory years of their youth or of its challenges and/or dynamics! We can imagine in our minds-eye scenarios of our life's experiences good or bad, tragic or exhilarating, reality or distorted that we associate in our present stage of life. One can be reliving these facts-of-life when opportunist moments activate your memories in conformity with your present state of mind.
Yet, it is impossible to bring yesterday's memories into the reality of today except through the imagination of the mind. Time is unforgiving and non-apologetic. Once lost, time cannot be reclaimed. It ever continues to move forward. We often relive these moments and react or respond accordingly and even alter their outcome according to our desires. The one thing that is impossible to alter is its reality of having occurred. Memories are with us and as time passes by, the facts become vague and distorted even to the point of denial of its happening.
St. Paul expresses our life's journey in faith as follows: "Brothers, I do not think of myself as having reached the finish line. I give no thought to what lies behind but push on to what is ahead. My entire attention is on the finish line as I run toward the prize to which God calls me - life on high in Christ Jesus." So many are reliving their sins and certain events in life that has affected their health spiritually, mentally, and physically. Shame, guilt, fear, inferiority, insecurity, anger, etc. has become an integral aspect of their identity. They are wounded and in need of deliverance, healing, and restoration. Many grieve the aging process and anxiety fills their souls. Fear rises up as to their future security and self-image as others may see in them only a shadow of who they were! Plastic surgery may be a necessity for some especially reconstruction after surgery or to correct a condition but to many it is an option of fallacy to preserve one's youth or enhance the body beautiful, vanity! One thing is assured and that is death of the corporeal body. The true-life substance of the individual will stand before God to give an accounting of their life on earth with reward or consequence.
Why allow yesterday to so influence us today. Life's experiences are to be a lesson and reflection in our life journey. God forgives us of our sins, faults, and shortcomings, yet we find it difficult to forgive ourselves and others and even God for our hurt and wounds. Satan is the master deceiver and manipulator and often we cooperate with him to our detriment. In Ephesians4:22,23: "You must lay aside your former way of life and the old self which deteriorates through illusion and desire and acquire a fresh, spiritual way of thinking. You must put on that new man created in God's image, whose justice and holiness are born of truth." In Romans 12:2: "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind."
The mind is a law of reason. It is not a matter of what you think you saw or heard or even experienced but what the mind thinks you saw or heard or experienced. In Heaven there are no tears nor sorrow. Your memories are purged of anything contrary to love. You will even know your enemy with the love of Christ. What is needed now is to ask for God's grace to let go of what and where yesterday's holding on you has gained its influence detrimental to yourself. Hold on to the good but let go of the bad as to live in hope and joy.