If you hold onto the past you will be doomed to repeat it.

    Ground Hog Day with Bill Murray was hilarious!  It's also a good example of doing something over and over expecting different results while not learning the lessons that we need to learn.  Christians do this as well as non-Christians.  What we need to learn is how to not repeat the past or any version of it.  We are encouraged by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount to not live in the past.  There is nothing we can do about the past.  In fact, when people focus on the past and try to change the same situation all they do is frustrate the same situation with a modified answer.  There is absolutely nothing we can do about what happened a second ago much less a decade or century.  Staying hinged to the past means we will repeat the past over and over and over with the same results.  That's the definition of insanity.  Christians aren't supposed to be insane...unless it's insanely in love with Jesus.  In the movie Bill Murray eventually gets it right and that is supposedly what puts his world right.  Wrong.  That's the message of the world and not of God. 
     I really don't like the saying "let go and let God" because it's so trite sounding.  People use this saying for most everything but letting go of their lives and surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Savior.  The Christian usage of the phrase is addressed to individual situations with and without others.  It's what we do when we throw up our hands because we don't believe that there is anything to be done.  Perhaps a better rendition of the saying could look like this: "surrender yourself and your situations and God's will can be accomplished".  It's a bit longer, not easily remembered and certainly contains a different focus.  Instead of throwing up our hands and doing nothing for whatever your reason, we can raise up our hands and watch God work!  It's marvelous!  Again, Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount tells us that we are to not have cares because God cares for us.  We are told to not worry about yesterday or tomorrow because we need to focus on the present.  We are told that he knows the number of hair (or lack of) on our heads as well as knows when a single sparrow falls to the earth.  Why don't we trust God with our present? 
     In the 1990's Billy Graham's schedule was full for 3 1/2 years out.  I checked.  Corporations as well as individuals have yearly, or longer, goals and the steps to get "there".  Christians are a part of this hysteria or good planning however you interpret the action.  Yet, we don't know if we will wake tomorrow, we don't know if we will make it through the day, we have no idea of the possible disasters that could overtake us, and we certainly don't have to plan for tomorrow.  God takes care of that.  He can only be effective in our lives if we surrender our life calendar to Him.  This scares a lot of people who are afraid of what God will ask of them.  How incredibly insulting if you are a Christian.  God will never leave nor forsake you.  He will always have you in the palm of his hand.  The Son is busy preparing a place for YOU.  Yet, you and I seem to think we know better than God how to live our lives.  And so, you and I will repeat our ill planned life because it's based on the past (known) and not the present (unknown).  Yes, it's uncomfortable at first allowing God to have his way in your life.  No, it's not impossible.  Read the book "In His Steps" and you will have a better idea of what that might look like.  Remember it's always your choice.