From “Embracing Your Second Calling: Find Passion and Purpose for the Rest of Your Life” by Dale Hanson Bourke
Leaving good things behind can be hard. But leaving the pain of the past can be far more challenging. To some degree, we all have places in our hearts where the past is still gripping us. The pain of a loss can still bring tears, and the memory of betrayal can tighten our stomachs. We can replay scenes and rewind words over and over again.
The amount of time and energy we spend on the past robs us of time, space, and energy for the future. If you get nothing else out of this book, please take this warning seriously. You must let go of your past. It won’t be easy. You may need help. But wiping the slate clean may be the most important work of this time in your life. If you hold on to past pain, you may spend the rest of your life as a bitter or defeated person. God will only be able to work in a small part of your soul because it will already be full of scar tissue.