Yesterday vs Tomorrow

Sometimes I find myself caught up in the memories from my past.  Some of those memories are sweet and some hold alot of pain.  I think it's possible to allow ourselves in get stuck in the past.  For me I know that for along time I allowed my past to invade my  everyday life.  I missed out on some really great times and even some relationships.  Leaving the past behind can be a real challenge.  For me I thought that meant saying it never happened, or maybe that "it wasn't that bad".  That's not what it means.  I had to acknowledge the hurt and pain and walk through it to get to the other side.  That is where I began to find healing.  I'm still in the process of taking each of those hurtful times and placing them at the feet of Jesus.  There are those days, where I try to take them back, make them mine again, but I'm finding that's not the answer.  I also kept waiting for the people who hurt me to come and say they were sorry.  I told myself that when they did that I would feel better.  What happens if they never say they are sorry?  Does that mean I'm destined to be burdened by the past forever?  I don't think that is what Jesus ever intended for our lives.  I had to be secure in the knowledge that He loves me and that he can heal any pain no matter how big or how small.  That is enough for me.  There are still times when I deeply want someone to say that they are sorry for hurting me.  But that is their stuff to deal with in their own time and own way.  I know I want to move forward and the only way for me to do that is to step out of the shadows of my past and walk into the light of my wonderful future.  I know who will be holding my hand the whole way, my Heavenly Father.