Lessons from Moses about how to move on

Devin Stowers

Holding onto regrets will always hold us back from living the life God wants us to live. When we focus on our past mistakes it causes us to run from the life God created us to live.  

If right now you’re thinking, “That’s easy to say, but you don’t know my past,” let me introduce you to a man named Moses. Moses is one of the best-known men in the Bible, but before Moses was famous, he struggled to let go of his past. Letting go was so hard for Moses that he questioned God’s plan and gave God a list of reasons why he wasn’t qualified for the job at hand.

3 Lessons We Learn From Moses About Moving On

1. Our past does not determine the future.

Moses is best known for leading the nation of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. His life has been made into more than one Hollywood movie.

But before Moses was famous, he killed a man and hid the body (Exodus 2:11-12). Filled with guilt and fear, Moses fled from Egypt. Some years later, God told Moses to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery (Exodus 3:10). Moses murdered a man, but God still used him to do something great through him.

Psalm 145:8 says, "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." No matter what our past looks like and how far we’ve run, God is gracious to forgive us.

2. When God forgives, He forgives completely.

When God told Moses to free the Israelites, God didn’t bring up Moses’ past sins or give him a list of bad habits to change (Exodus 3:2-10). The same is true for us; when God forgives, He does it completely. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

With forgiveness comes action. God told Moses to go lead His people out of slavery. Moses gave excuses of why he couldn’t do what God told him to do, but God wasn’t bothered by his excuses (Exodus 3:11-12). Making excuses for why we can’t do what God tells us to do will hold us back from participating in doing something great for Him.  

3. God wants to do great things through you.

If God can do great things through a murderer, He can do great things through us too! After we recognize the grace God has lavished on us, we will begin to live the life God has called us to live (Ephesians 1:7-8). Moses had questions that held him back, but God had a plan that enabled Moses to do what God called him to do (Exodus 3:9-16).

When we believe that God has completely forgiven us for our past, present and future, we move forward with confidence in what God tells us to do.

What’s holding you back from doing what God has told you to do? Break free today.