I heard a great quote the other day and it inspired me to write this devotion.
“God uses crooked sticks to make straight lines.”
Wow. That quote is so true.
I have known many people who believe that the mistakes and failures of their past, will keep God from using them.
See, I was one of them. I believed that I was no longer “usable” in ministry, because God must be angry at me. I had failed, hurt people, and not represented God well, so it was over for me. However, God wanted to me to use my “crooked” past to share with others of His redeeming, restoring power. He wanted me to draw that “straight line” to Him.
Get past your past.
Isaiah 43:18 “Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago.”
You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.
Purpose in your heart that God forgave you for your past and look toward your future.
Philippians 3:13 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Someone needs to hear your story of how God changed you. They need to SEE an example of mercy and grace, in a world full of judgement and punishment.
Prayer starter: “Father, thank you for Your forgiveness. Help me to share Your forgiving love with someone who desperately needs You today.
May I draw a straight line to You. In Jesus name. Amen.”
