Put Some Dirt On It t

I don't really have a great intro into my thoughts, so I'll just jump right in. 

Currently the ministry I'm involved in is going through Romans 8. It's pretty great. In the first couple verses it talks about how there is no more condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and how we've been set free from the law of sin and death. 

One of the questions given to us for leading in discussion was asking what kinds of things we still feel guilty for. One of my friends, who is also a co-leader of our Bible study, mentioned how she still feels guilty over something that she shares in Bible study on occasion when she gives an example of how God helped her to overcome it. She said she still feels shame in having to say that's who she was. 

Funny how Satan can use that. We die to sin. Our OLD self dies. And then as the coffin is laid to rest, Satan pushes us in the hole with it where we sit on it and say, "I am dead to sin. Look, here is proof, I'm sitting on my old self. That is dead." And then our "New Identity in Christ" changes from "The person who struggled with _____" to being "The person who overcame _____ through Christ." 
Not that that's especially wrong, but, you still have ______ in the title of your name. Stop that. 

Let the dead be dead. Here's what Christ wants you to do: Put some dirt on that coffin. It's dead, it's in the hole, let it be. Put the dirt on it, bury it, walk away. 
Not to disregard your story or how Christ will use your testimony to reach others. That's still important. Every sin and struggle I ever conquered through Christ is still a big deal. But the thing is, it's not me any more. It happened, but it's in the past. Let it become a story rather than a present day thing. 

When I first came to know Jesus and people would ask me my story, I always got a little nervous and my heart would go thumpity thump and my hands would sweat and I was always secretly praying that they weren't judging me or thinking I was some sorta messed up head case. 
My story was mostly that I had struggled with a something and then Christ came and changed my heart and my struggle with the something ended. 

It wasn't until my freshman year of college when I shared "my story" and received the reaction I always dreaded that I decided, "You know what? That's not who I am any more. I'ma leave that be in the past." And there was a lot of freedom in that. Sure, I'll gladly share what Jesus did to get me where He has me now, but it's not part of my new identity. 

My identity is not wrapped up in dark places, or struggles, or addictions, or hurts that Christ overcame. It's more wrapped up in walking in the light, knowing peace, feeling loved, and being healed. It's everything beautiful that Christ ever did and not the ugly things that I do and Christ fixes. 
It's a difficult concept, but It's an important one for believers to grasp. That sign that Satan hangs around your neck as "Part of your new identity in Christ" weighs a lot and it's gonna cause you to trip and fall. 

Besides, if you don't put the dirt over that dead self, you might be tempted to lift the lid on that coffin and think on who you once were far too many times than you should. And maybe it's a hard thing to do, but Jesus happens to have a bulldozer handy (I happen to know 'cuz he ran a demolition project on my life last semester) and I'm sure he'd be happy to help you get it all covered up and buried for good. 

"Your past has not come full circle to its complete redemption until you allow Christ not only to defuse it, but also to use it." ~Beth Moore