When I first started running, I thought that every running accessory was a necessity. I had to have it all—belt bag, water bottles, gloves, warmers, watches, and many other gadgets.

It didn't take me long to realise that many of these accessories would not help but actually even wear me down.

Many times in our journey with God, it can feel the same way. We hold on to so many things that we think will help us, only to have them drag us down. One of those things can be a hurt, mistake or past struggle. We keep them, thinking that they will protect us or even help us grow.

I believe in learning from mistakes, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we are to carry the burdens of the past.

Here are four liberating truths that assure us that the past does not have to drag us down any longer.

1. God does not keep a record of wrongs

1 Corinthians 13:5 describes the perfect love of our Father towards us: "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs."

People may keep records of mistakes and hold it against us, but God does not. He doesn't go around reminding us of the times we messed up when He wants to make something out of us. Instead He freely forgives us and pins our mistakes on Christ so that it's no longer on our record.

2. Your sins are cast far away when they are confessed

Psalm 103:11-12 says, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us."

How far is the east from the west? Take it this way: The east will never meet the west. Ever. It's the same way with us when we confess our sins. God is faithful to forgive and will cast our sins far away from us.

3. Jesus' finished work is more than enough

When Jesus said, "It is finished," (John 19:30) everything was indeed finished. Jesus' work is complete, and this is more than enough to redeem us of all past sin and remove both its consequence and occurrence as the Holy Spirit guides us to all truth, changing us from glory to glory.

4. There is freedom in the Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:17 declares that, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

When we receive Jesus into our heart, we are not only cleansed of sin but also filled with the Holy Spirit. When we are empowered by the Spirit, we gain the ability to progressively grow into a life that glorifies God. From the very beginning of our walk with God we are regenerated and cleansed so that we now live in the Spirit and thus in freedom.