By Misty Strieff Prine
“Sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past, so it doesn’t become their future.” – Jon Acuff
Have you ever wondered why you have gone through some of the things that you have in your life? Maybe people have told you that God had a plan to turn all of it into something amazing...but you just can't seem to find exactly what that "amazing" is yet. Life has beat you down and you feel like you have nothing to show for it. Friend, let me tell you something from firsthand experience. I've been there, done that, (still go through that). No one is immune to it. I can tell you that if you don't try on your part to search out that purpose that God has for your life and be willing to embrace the glorious mess that you are, you will find yourself spinning your wheels every single day of your life. You cannot expect to find your purpose if you are too bitter to believe that you have one. Let's be honest for a moment. We bring so much mess upon ourselves all because we are so scared we are going to find something good in the midst of something bad. Some of us just like to wallow in our mistakes and our past because we want that excuse to be miserable. Some of us use our past as a crutch in order that we can continue to make mistakes and blame it on our past instead of stepping up to the plate and admitting that we are simply making continuously bad decisions. Instead, we need to realize that WE made a lot of bad decisions (and quit putting the blame on others) along with some really good ones thrown in the mix too. All of them combined give us a testimony that is unique to us.
If we humble ourselves and admit to God that we realize that we've messed up, ask for forgiveness and pray that He uses us to help others, He will do amazing things in our lives. He's waiting for us, we just have to be willing to let Him and allow ourselves to be used for Him. We are surrounded with a mighty mission field every single day that the Lord allows us to see. Somewhere in the midst of those people we cross paths with is someone who really needs to hear your story...about how you lived, how God forgave you (and that He will do the same for them), how He has changed your life completely and how right there in that very moment, He is using you to help them. Our minds would be completely blown if we could see just how many people are truly facing similar giants that we have faced, or are currently facing, that are literally sitting right next to us. We have no way of knowing the hearts of those around us...but God does. You may be the very one God has chosen to minister to them because your stories, if the layers are pulled back, would match theirs identically. You are called to "come as you are" and God will do the rest. God is able...are you willing? The choice is yours.
**For daily devotionals, you can follow me on Facebook at The Upward Way or on Instagram at the_upward_way. I’d love to see you there!
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