It is like a formless darkness in the night. It claws its way into the mind, the heart, and the soul. It digs deeper into your dreams and overwhelms you with fear and anxiety. The heart beats quicker, and the mind rushes to outpace the heart. Do you feel it? It is a formidable enemy that haunts by night and depresses by day. It can’t be outrun, eliminated, and it can’t be changed. It is your past.
Many individuals are squandering their past. Let me clarify what I mean. Firstly, I don’t believe that God can waste anything. It seems impossible for an infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent God to create anything beyond His control. He is all-powerful. So when you claim He wasted energy, He creates more; it’s infinite. God does not waste anything, and indeed not your past. You have been wasting not just your time, but also your energy and spiritual strength by worrying about the past—those aspects you cannot change. Right? Those actions you regret have led to all sorts of distress due to what you did or did not do. God is a being who does not waste. We are all a tapestry made up of our past, present, and yes, even our future. We are a tapestry. Some may be as fierce as lions, while others are as gentle as sheep. Some are boisterous, and some are reserved. Yet, we all possess gifts and talents and have a past. We may have sinned in various ways, but we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Therefore, I urge you to stop wasting your past.
God is not wasting it; He has woven it into your life. He has crafted you into a beautiful tapestry that reflects your good and bad experiences. Your experiences, your choices, all contribute to your life. Someone needs to hear that from you. As it states in Romans 8:28 all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Furthermore, in 2 Corinthians 1:4, we are told that when we experience affliction, God blesses us, cares for us, and comforts us in all our troubles, so that we may comfort others who are also suffering. Do you see how God utilizes it? He takes your past, which you may view as dreadful, and even if it was awful, He makes use of it.
Don’t waste your time feeling guilty or condemning yourself over sins already forgiven. Instead, redeem those sins. And others, redeem the narrative. Redeem the story of God’s grace and mercy that has transformed you from where you once were to where you are now. That is the story the world needs to hear. That is the story your neighbor needs. That is the story the people around you at church need. The story of redemption, of how God has uplifted you. And today, you are a magnificent tapestry. Others may not see it, but you know it. You are unique, and God’s grace and mercy have brought you to this moment. God is not a God of waste. In fact, I believe God can’t waste anything, including your past. He has assembled you. He has taken your past and woven it together like a beautiful tapestry.
When the past claws in the darkness, you lift up a redeemed, forgiven past—the grand story of God’s grace and mercy. You are who you are by the grace of God. The world needs you at your best, at your best for Jesus. Now go forth and live for Jesus boldly.
God bless you.
Dr. James D. Allen
@overflowinghope180
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Dr. James D Allen
Dr. Allen served as a seminary VP, pastor, and as a trustee on a Christian mental health Board. He has earned a BA, MA, MA Biblical Counseling, Doctor of Ministry. Dr Allen has also preached on 5 continents, lived in 3 nations, and so has a diverse Christian experience. He has a distinguished career of being a pastor, consultant, author, and educator. MY FIRST LOVE--Being a Pastor and encouraging others!
