Why Your Broken Past Makes You Wanted
Inside: Here’s what I’ve come to realize, your past does not define your future. Forgetting your past is vital to marching ahead in faith!
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Today I’m thrilled to be sharing over at Precepts and Life Preservers. Christine Duncan writes there about her faith and chronic depression or Dysthymia. What I love about Christine’s writing is her honesty and authentic voice as she struggles with her depression. She unmasks and through her words, we can see how her faith helps her as she journeys through the hard.
Have you done something in your life which you want to keep hidden? Are there some skeletons in your closet?
Can I ease some of your discomforts, right here?
Everyone has the past.
The majority of us have a messy past. The rest will have something messy happening to them, which will ultimately become the past.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve done stupid and regrettable things in the past. Many times I’ve wondered if God would forgive me. My actions were awful, and I hurt people. I feel bad and Satan likes to rub my nose in my former mistakes.
Here’s what I’ve come to realize, your past does not define your future.
Your past is not too bad for God, and His ability to turn your life around. Share on XGod tells me this in the Bible.
18 “But forget all that—
it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
19 For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19, NLT).
Rahab
In the Bible we meet a hooker with a heart of gold; a few sources have given her this name. Seems a little like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? We usually don’t mention something good with the word prostitute.
To read the rest of this post follow me to Christine’s site.
You’ll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent TimesAnxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World
When the Past Won’t Let You Go: Find the Healing That Helps You Move On
Power of Letting Go: Break free from the past and future and learn to let God take control.
Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God’s Voice Above All Others
The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands
Made to Crave Participant’s Guide: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food
Well, you really hooked me at, “a hooker with a heart of gold!” LOL But when I click your link to read the rest it says it’s password protected… 🙁
Liz- I fixed it hopefully 🙂
Technology 🙂
This reminds me of the young child who has his filthy dirty piece of candy that Mommy wants to take away from him, but she has to gently pry his fingers off one by one and replace it with something clean and wonderful. We are, so often, that child. May the Lord continue to gently remind us of His love and perfect plans for us and of His perfect gift of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ.
I wrote a post on Rahab about a year ago. You can read it here if you’re interested: https://plantedbylivingwater.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/who-loves-todays-rahabs/
Ruth- yes! I love your thoughts!
Your post on Rahab was great too!
Blessings to you!
God loves messy people! I love how you described Rahab.
Thank you Elizabeth! I’m so glad you stopped 🙂
Oh yes, skeletons. My pastor used to say this a lot to remind us we are all in need of God’s mercy, that no one was “better” than the next guy. Good stuff, Julie – thank you friend.
Meg- Isn’t it comforting to know we all have skeletons? Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs!
I love that you used Rahab! What an example of how God will use anyone, no matter how many mistakes they have made. I think also of Paul (Saul) who used to murder christians, but then God used him to be an incredible missionary!
Hannah- nice to meet you 😉 Yes, no mistake is too big for God to overlook and use!
The Bible is filled with people who had a past, and God wanted them and was able to do mighty things through them.
Susan- yes, God did mighty things through many people of the Bible!
Thoroughly powerful the honesty in this deserves a loud clap. not many can truly share the raw aspects of their life … and this indeed gives God all the glory.
Ann- thank you! To God be the glory!
Yes, we all have a past but God washes us clean as snow! I’m so thankful for his mercies that are new every morning! x
Danielle- I am also thankful! Nice to meet you too!
When God brings us from our past, we and others are able to see the transformation and know that it has to be due to Him!
Melissa- True transformation happens by God, you’re right!
Another thing I tell myself it that the worst things about me aren’t the truest. Great thoughts.
Alice- thanks for sharing that!
Gosh I love to be reminded of Rahab’s story. That her obedience led to her being in the lineage of Jesus! Thanks for sharing.
Holly- nice to meet you! Thank you!
I also love that Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. She was so changed that she raised Boaz, a picture of Jesus in the Old Testament. God is so very good! Great post!
Alicia- I love that Rahab is in the lineage too! It shows me no one is too messed up to receive a place in God’s plan.
We all have pasts, but if we give Jesus our present and future, he will use the past for his glory!
Kristi- I think this is an important point! No one’s past is too bad!
What a fantastic reminder that we are only ever made new through HIS might and HIS power and HIS mercy and HIS grace. When we focus our OURselves and OUR past, we lose sight of His incredibly, redeeming love. Thank you for sharing!
Merry- You’re right..it’s about our focus. If we rely on Him we can be used for Him.
Heather- Amen, that’s great news!
God bless you for this Post. It encourages me at a time when I feel like so much has broken.