Worth it all, was my thought as I closed the book by Max Lucado that I’m reading about the life of Joseph. I just finished the chapter that left me with a jumble of his written words, and mine combined: My family failed me…both of them. All my years were hard ones. But I made a life for myself. I even started a family of my own. More hurt there. In fact, more hurt than I could bear…eventually.
And Max continued with this: God gives more than we request by going deeper. He wants not only your whole heart; He wants your heart whole. Why? Because hurt people hurt people. Look at our actions. Flying off the handle. Avoiding conflict. People pleasing. All in an effort to hide the pain. All for the purpose of forgetting the past.
And my thoughts went on as I wrote them down.
But God has a different idea. In fact, He has a better plan. He knew before the beginning of time exactly what would take place in your life.
Nothing happens without His knowledge or without His permission. He can take the most dire of circumstances and turn them into something good.
But there is a catch. You must be willing to go along with His plans.
You must be willing to let go of the past and place all the pain and sorrow, all the abuse you have suffered, all the unthinkable acts that were committed against you, every betrayal, every thought of not being enough- you must be willing to place all of those things and more, in His hands.
You must agree with Him that your past doesn’t have to equal your future.
You must dare to believe that in spite of your past, your future can be a beautiful thing.
You must be willing to let the comforting cloak of denial drop from your shoulders.
You must be willing and open to lay your broken, shattered heart at His feet, and with a little faith, just the size of a mustard seed- believe that He can take all those harmful, hurtful things and cause something good to grow wings and fly.
He can’t do it without your consent. Well, he can, but He won’t. Not usually.
It’s a lot to ask.
It takes a tremendous amount of courage. But you are worth it.
You deserve to live the life that you desire. Not because of anything special you have done, but simply because He cares.
Are you ready my friend? Will you give the hurts to Him and allow the hurts of the past to be turned around for good?
It won’t be quick. Anything worth having takes time.
It won’t be easy.
It will require a burning off of the old.
It will demand a lot of tears shed.
But in the end…it will be good.
It will be a new beginning.
It will be worth it all.
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