Does your mind wander in the wasteland of past sins? Sometimes I dwell on the careless, unwise or fear-filled words that I’ve use to hurt loved ones. Or I ruminate on poor choices that have affected my life. When I do that, I feel useless, benched by God and even deserving to sit out the game. I think, “How could God possibly want me on His team?”
We may feel like our past mistakes have disabled or disqualified us to minister to others. But we couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, our wilderness time-out can have the transforming power to equip us for that very purpose! If we repent and turn from those things that have brought shame, God can use them to produce in us a new humility. We can teach others with gentleness and encourage them with understanding.
God opened a new and living way to Himself through His Son, Jesus. Through Him we can drink from the streams of His forgiveness and grace, leading others to do so as well. See, He is doing a new thing with your past, no matter how much of a wasteland it has been!