Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. Joshua 5:9

Every person has a past filled with things that can be positive or negative. It is often the negative things in one’s past that has the biggest impact on one’s life.

Abuse, bad relationships, sinful behaviors and actions all create problems that need to be removed. While some of these things are desired to be removed, the sinful behaviors are often ignored as acceptable or strongly desired.

After getting all the Israelites circumcised, God told Joshua that He had removed the reproach of Egypt from them.

Circumcision is a process of removing something that is unwanted or unneeded. The older the person is the more painful the process will be.

Prior to being a believer, every person lives in the world and is filled with sin and sinful desires. He was guided by the principles and practices of the world, which brings about judgement and death. It is a disgrace to hold on to, but one is blinded from that truth.

Upon believing in Jesus, one’s life has been circumcised from the past. All the past sins and sinful desires are to be cut off and thrown out.

In the same way that circumcision is painful for the older person, so the cutting out of the past sinful habits can be painful but comes with great benefits. The sinful heart desires the sin of the world that only brings about death in the end.

Cutting off sin and the desire for sin brings about true life that will last for eternity. There will no longer be judgement and reproach upon the believer, but forgiveness, acceptance and holiness that God intended for all mankind.

You most likely have things in your past that are painful and sinful. As a believer you must allow God to cut those things off from your life and be filled with the new life that God has in store for you. This process may be painful at times, but in the end, it brings a greater joy and life than the world can ever offer.

Allow yourself to be filled with God and the things of God, not the sinful things of this dead world. Live life as God has originally intended for you to live.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will allow God to circumcise sin out of your life; that you will live your life to honor and glorify God; that you will allow God to cut off your past hurts and sins; and that you will live holy unto God.