Perspective Shift: Student EditionSample

Do you ever feel like you lose confidence when you think about things you did in the past? Paul, a persecutor-turned-apostle, understood the weight of a past filled with sin. So when he came back to the very people he used to torment, the tension was heavy. Thoughts of unworthiness and guilt probably bombarded him. Yet, Paul encountered a life-changing truth—in Christ, our past loses its power over us! In today’s verse, Paul shares that message of total forgiveness. Imagine the freedom Paul felt knowing he was redeemed and purified. This is something we can all relate to - we all have past failures that loom large in our minds. But the power of Christ's forgiveness enables us to forgive ourselves and move forward. Your past may be filled with imperfect choices, but in Christ, you find forgiveness and freedom. Don't let your past be the anchor that drags you down; let Christ’s forgiveness be what carries you!

• Recite this week's memory verse: "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).
• What do you need to release and forgive in yourself to fully embrace God’s forgiveness?
• How can you apply Paul’s wisdom to ‘forget what was behind’ in your own life?