Can God change the past?

Is there something in the past that has been stopping you from moving forward? Maybe it was a bad decision you made. Maybe it was something wrong that someone did to you. There are things in our past that we want to get rid of. It seems like being able to change the past would help change our past or our future.

Can God change the past? Yes, God can change the past. We believe that God is outside the realm of space in time. He is all-powerful and he can shape and make things however he desires. While God can do all things like changing the past it doesn’t mean that he will.

Why does God choose to not change the past?

It violates his nature

God is love.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:16

Because he is love he values free will. God will never force anyone to do anything. If he forced people to love him it wouldn’t really be considered love. Because of free will we have the opportunity to make choices, whether they are good or bad.

The bad things that happened in our past can be caused by our own foolish choices or the choices of another person. For God to reverse the choices that someone made would violate the free will of every person.

God can change the past but he won’t violate his own nature. God is love and he can’t deny himself. He can’t do or be something that is against who he is.

If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
2 TIMOTHY 2:13

While he can change the past it’s more likely that he will allow your past to shape your future.

He can use your past to better your future.

We would all like to be able to change the past. Maybe there is something that you did or said that has left a mark on your life. Maybe a fight lost a friend or a family member. We can’t change the past. It’s also unlikely that God will intervene and change our past which was caused by your or someone’s free will. But we shouldn’t place a period (.) where God has chosen to put a comma (,)

That saying means that just because we thought our past was a stopping point, God can always use your past to shape your future. While the things that happened might make it difficult to forgive yourself or someone else God can use that situation and make it work out for his and your good.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Even when bad things happen can use them for good. If we decided to live inside God’s will for our life even our tattered past can be used for our good. These bad choices can turn into a stronger faith, more wisdom, and understanding.

While it will take time and God’s grace to overcome the feelings we have because of our past God is faithful and promises to get us through everything. All of the storms of life happen and result in 1 of 2 outcomes.

Either we turn away and curse God. Although, God never wants the outcome.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 PETER 3:9

Or the second outcome is that we take that situation as a learning experience and grow towards God. We allow these bad situations in our life to strengthen our faith and learn to trust in God. Everything that has happened or will happen is a means to conform us into the image of Jesus. These experiences help make us more like Christ.

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
ROMANS 8:29

God can use your past to help you grow, He can use our pasts to better our futures.

How changing the past would affect current life.

Changing the past would be a great skill to have. We could right all of our wrongs. We could make everything turn out the way that we want. But would this really be the best option? If you ever heard about the butterfly effect this is a perfect example.

The butterfly effect summarized is that stepping on one butterfly could shape the future. While this small butterfly seems insignificant you could’ve withheld a meal for a bird. That bird that lacked food dies which prevents the snake from having something to eat. So on so forth.

One small change of the past can create a totally different future. Removing something from your past may seem like the best way to make life the way that you want it. Although, it wouldn’t just affect you. There could be thousands of people who are affected by that one change.

Maybe the thing in your past that you feel like it’s hindering you was the thing that brought someone else to salvation through Jesus Christ. We can’t know everything that resulted from our choices in our past. But we do know that even the bad things that have happened can be used for good.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Genesis 50:20

He knows what’s best

Humans are limited by our finite minds. We can only see things that are in our direct scope. God however knows and sees all things. He is sovereign and nothing happens outside of this gaze. While having our past changed sometimes seems like the best option that isn’t always the case.

Maybe if that thing didn’t happen in your past your wouldn’t have come to saving faith. You wouldn’t be the person you are today. You probably wouldn’t even be on this side reading these words.

God knows what’s best and he has the desire to make you prosper.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Just because we think erasing something in our past will solve our current or future problems this isn’t the case. Because we know that God loves his children we can trust that he will use our past to better our future. God knows all past, present, and future. His plans are more thought out and planned more than anyone could do on their own.

Instead of wishing we could change the past, we would be better off trusting in God and knowing that he has a plan for our future. That the things that happened aren’t the end of our story. They are just a sign to get us on the right path.