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One of the most difficult parts in a human life is the need to forget painful things of the past.

Some deal with painful things of the past with the saying: "Tomorrow may be better, or it may be worse. But one thing is sure; it will be different"!.

Much has been written and said about the past. The concept of the subject is like trying to hold wind and air in the hands. A motion picture that was made available to the public a number of years ago was entitled "That Was Then - This Is Now". Although the movie was less than what one could anticipate, the title carries a truth that is profound indeed. A sublime truth about the past - and the present.

Absorbing into our being a truth would go a long way toward personal peace and, most of all, the strengthening of our faith. Faith concerning the past, present, and the future.

First, the past, as we know it, does not exist. It exists only on record. It is recorded in our memory, or as a factual concept. But again, its existence is an enigma, an irretrievable, non existent abstract. Yes, something did happen, but it is now only a wind of memory, totally irretrievable except in memory.

Second, no matter how long or short a slice of memory is, it just as well be a thousand years (and into infinity). All things - events, feelings, actions, thoughts, can only be done once. Since all things of thought and action, can only occur once - no matter what it is (or was), it occurs only once - a second, hour, or any way we can measure it, long or short. it can happen exactly as it did only once. It is literally gone forever, and strictly speaking, does not exist.

This is true because it cannot be duplicated exactly as it happened then. It cannot be retrieved, brought back EXACTLY as was then. It is gone forever. The result or consequence of a memory may continue; however, even the memory of that irretrievable event only occurs once; then the memory itself is gone forever, since it cannot be brought back exactly as it occurred.

Therefore, memory or memories do not exist into infinity. Nothing can happen, and nothing can be remembered or retrieved as it was then.

So the movie title is correct. That was then - this is now. However, if we think a little farther, every split second, or any amount of time that can be measured and called "now" does not exist after it occurs. And the irony of it all has the last word. When the memory is gone, all is gone. None of it just as well have never been. Except in future consequences. Then the consequences become part of the past. The cycle goes on to infinity.

But there is hope:

"I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward." - Philippians 3:13-14
If you cannot forget an unpleasant past, the "law of the past" is going to be changed, but not until God changes it, since He is the creator of the way it operates now. Until then, we must deal with our past by waiting, and committing the past into His loving arms.

He will comfort and buffer an unpleasant past until His time to destroy the past, along with all the haunting, hurtful, fearful pasts of mankind. The time is coming when all who belong to Jesus Christ can joyfully say:

"That was then...THIS is now!"

"God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new. Also He said, Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine). And He [further] said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of Life." - Revelation 21:4-6

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Trusting God Yields Happiness