By Everyone alive in the present has a past. Each of our pasts have some good moments and some bad moments. But sadly, many of us have particularly dark moments in our past. Thank God that His grace effectively deals with all our darkest of moments.
Because of God’s saving, cleansing, and healing grace, our past does not determine our present. The consequences of past sin might still affect us, but the guilt can be forgiven (1 Cor 6:11). The repercussions of the evil deeds of others against us might still influence us, but the newness of life in Christ enables us to walk courageously by faith for the rest of our lives (Ezek 18:20).
Be it very real traumatic pasts, supposed ‘generational curses’, or personal wickedness, there is always counsel in God’s Word to help us deal with it all in such away that we can face each day with a renewed spirit. Whether you yourself were the evildoer, or you were the innocent victim of the deeds of an evildoer, God’s Word offers counsel every time.
Think of Cain, himself the hateful evildoer with an unhappy past with his brother. In Genesis 4 God counselled him how to stop the destructive trajectory that he was on and do good instead and so be restored.
Or what about Elijah in 1 Kings 19 fleeing for being repaid evil for all the good he did? Again, God provided for him, then softly refined his perspective of reality, and set him back on his daily tasks as a prophet of the LORD.
King Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33 did evil for the vast majority of his life, but when converted, was enabled to do much good in his final years.
Joseph suffered evil at the hands of family, strangers, co-workers, and his fellow inmates, but was able to live righteously through it all (Gen 50:20-21)
We can all rejoice in prayer with the Psalmist,
Plead my cause and redeem me;
Psalm 119:154
give me life according to your promise!