To the Girl with an Ugly Past: There is Hope

A girl buried in lust, battling with pornography. Highly insecure, she felt ugly and saw herself as worthless. I believed I would be stuck in sin, living the same cycle over and over again. I was looking for lasting satisfaction in the wrong place. I thought of a life where I would be free of the shame that came with my life but believed there was no hope for me, that I would always stay the same.

I was shameful due to my past sins and for the decisions I made, but that didn't stop God from pursuing me. It didn't stop Him from loving me and it didn't stop me from going to God and loving Him.

I am not perfect. There are things I've done that I am ashamed of and if I could go back and change my decisions, I would in a heartbeat. But when I think about the goodness of Jesus, the feeling of guilt and shame fades away. I remember God's merciful love and I am strengthened again.

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." ~Lamentations 3:21-23

Whether it's the fact you've done things you're not proud of, things were done to you that left a scar or something happened to you that you never thought would. Whatever you went through or are currently going through I want to tell you, There is still hope for you and His name is Jesus.

"The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." ~ John 10:10

Jesus longs to give you a full life filled with purpose. The enemy lives to rob you of your joy, your peace, and your destiny and he will stop at nothing to do so.

The one thing the enemy will try to convince us into thinking is that God can not use us because of our past. My dear, that is FAR from the truth. In fact, God loves our messiness because in it, He demonstrates His perfect love to imperfect people. He can still use you. He can still use your story. Your story is not just for you, it's for someone who is in need of knowing that God heals and sets free. It's for someone in need of hope. It's for someone in need of healing. Through your story and ugly past, is someone's breakthrough waiting to be received.

God loves our messiness because in it, He demonstrates His perfect love to imperfect people.

The enemy won't attempt to steal or destroy something that he doesn't think is powerful. So if the enemy believes and knows that you were promised a rich and satisfying life by the power of the cross, why shouldn't you? No matter what you did, or what was done in the past, He loves you and still has a great plan for you. And there's no lie the enemy can convince you to stop it from happening.

Jesus doesn't want you to be dominated by your past or past mistakes because He knows that it will keep you from receiving the life and purpose He has for you. Because He knew they would be so heavy, He took it all on the cross. Your sins were great, but His love is so much greater. Your past may have been dark, but your future in Christ is so much brighter.

His love is so powerful that it is able to break past barriers that were meant to separate you from Him. His love is so powerful that it is able to wash away your sins as if they were no more and give you a clean, fresh start.

He was willing to be wounded so that you could be free from whatever is keeping you in bondage. He was willing to take your place and took the harsh beatings so you didn't have to. He was humiliated so that you wouldn't have to be humiliated by your past when you come to Him.

Pick your head up love. Stop looking back at what was and start looking to what can be. He wants to give you new life. He's waiting to give you the freedom that's been declared yours since the death of the cross. He desires to give you salvation. He is able to take your ashes in turn for beauty. He is able to take away your sins and give you a fresh new start. He is able to restore your life. He is able to take the broken pieces of your life and make them whole and beautiful again.

But if you long for a transformed life, you must give Him the broken parts of you. Don't give it to Him and still hold on to the damaged pieces. Let go of what was and open your heart and hands to Him so you may experience His unfailing love. Pour out your heart to God and let Him heal you of your past hurts and mistakes, for His yoke is light and easy (Matthew 11:28-30) and His grace is sufficient to do what you couldn't do alone (2 Corinthians 12:9). Don't wait. Choose to be healed. Choose to be set free. Choose to be made new.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. " ~ Isaiah 43:18-19

You are not defined by your past. Do not let your past keep you from the future God awaits to release to you; it sure didn't stop him from loving you as much as He still does today. Be blessed and encouraged loves.

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Heavenly Father,

I pray for those who are hurting and in need of hope. I pray they cast their cares onto You because You strongly care and love them. I pray they lay down and give You their burdens and remains of their past and You give them rest. I pray that as they receive salvation and grace, may they not neglect their past but embrace it for it is still a powerful part of who they are. I pray you set those captive from their past free and that you heal those with past wounds and hurts. May they be made new again and their hearts and lives be made whole. Thank you for your character of forgiveness and mercy. Thank you for Your never ending grace that comes with a life in Christ. Thank you for your new mercies that await us every morning and that we get the chance to start over again, this time, with You.

In Your name we pray, Amen.