We are going to talk about the action of abandoning. An action we need to take to abandon something, not someone. So, to make a distinct difference, there are some things that we must abandon. Things we need to renounce, terminate, stop, surrender, relinquish, or discontinue. Biblically we use words and phrases like leave behind troubles and sorrows, letting go of the past, put off the old self, and throw off everything that hinders.

Note: on New Year’s Day we are going to talk about all things new but in ending the year, we want to focus on leaving 2020 behind.

·       [Matt 11:28] “Come to me who are weary and heavy ladened and I will give you rest.” Need to take weight off to move forward.

·       [Phil 3:13b] “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” There comes a point in all of our lives where we need to let go. We need to let go of the past: the hurt, unmet expectations, loss, hopes, and dreams. Holding on is unhealthy and it keeps us stuck. 

·       [Is 43:18a] “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” At all times, we must learn to forget the past and forge ahead. If we fail to let go of the past, it is very difficult to move forward.

·       [II Cor 5:17] “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away.”

·       [Gen 19:17] God told Lot’s family not to “look behind you,” don’t look back. Don’t long for or look back at the sinfulness and wickedness and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

·       [Luke 9:62] “Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”

·       [Prov 4:25] “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”

·       [Rom 8:13] “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body.”

·       [Heb 8:12] “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” If God is not going to hold our sins against us, we should not condemn ourselves.

·       [Eph 4:31-32] “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander to put away from you, along with all malice.

·       [Heb 12:1] “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” With God, your past mistakes do not hold you back. God punished all of our sins on the cross in His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, so you would no longer be stuck in your sin, or be held back. Sins blocks your relationship with God and Jesus.

Leave behind grief and disappointment which can lead to depression, don’t revisit painful memories too often and also live with constant negative emotions. Don’t keep opening up the wound, leave alone so it can heal. Release anger, resentment and forgiveness or bitterness will take over.  Lay aside past hurts in childhood or you won’t mature. Maybe you might need to let go of a toxic relationship. All of these things stop you from moving forward.

Reminds Robin of a story where a man was walking on path in the fog and didn’t see where he was going and fell of the side, lucky enough to grab a branch on the way down. He cried out for help but the fog was too thick to see anything. Finally, he heard a voice telling him to let go but he said he couldn’t or he would die. The voice insisted if he let go, he would be alright but he wouldn’t because he was too afraid and didn’t trust the voice. Eventually the fog lifted and he looked down and saw he was hanging two feet above solid ground holding on to the branch. Moral of the story, don't hold on to fear, let go and trust in Jesus' voice.