Humans seek comfort in the familiar, therefore without realizing it at times they find themselves repeating history. Freud called this “repetition compulsion”, which he famously defined as: “the desire to return to an earlier state of things.”
From simple tasks like: watching your favourite movie over and over, or eating at the same restaurants and ordering the exact same meal each time. This can also apply to more unhealthy behaviors: remaining in harmful or abusive relationships for example. It’s an action or way of behaving that almost becomes instinctive to us, we do it without even realizing it at times.
Many of us develop character traits through what we know, and through what we have experienced over the years. Therefore, if we have experienced hurt, disappointment, we therefore end up living out of that broken space and keep repeating that level of behavior and being. For example, if someone was a victim in an abusive relationship, they may always think that they are only deserving of that type of love due to what was ingrained into the heart. Out of that space they may create a certain pattern of behavior and thinking that they live out in their day-to-day. A behavior that is harmful to them and those around them.
However, the sad is reality is that if we choose to live in our negative, unhealthy way of living – we will never grow and stretch in character, and we will never experience full freedom from our past.
In the Bible it says :
Put off the former way of life in the old nature, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new nature, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness. – Ephesians 4:22-24
The Bible encourages us that with God we can take off the old, we can move onwards from our past, and we can be restored into newness and be who God originally always created and desired us to be!
Moving on from our past isn’t always easy, as maybe for some of us it’s all we have ever known, and we have held onto to it for so long. But with Gods help, and with His strength we can overcome all things and move forward victoriously! He has great plans and purposes for you, do not let your past hold you back from experiencing fullness of joy, unconditional love, and freedom to live!
Be brave enough to let your past go, and to give it over to God. Have courage to embrace a new life with God. A Life that rejoices, a life that shines a light, a life filled with purpose and blessing! Do not let history repeat itself, dare to live a bold life by letting God lovingly lead you in all areas of your life.