Wanted, Not Wasted

T.D. Jakes preached a message about how everything you are going through is happening for a reason, "nothing will be wasted." He pointed out how Moses was in the wilderness 40 years ALONE before he was in the wilderness 40 years with the children of Israel (Acts 7:30). Moses was raised in a palace. He knew nothing about the desert. If he had not messed up (murdered the Egyptian) and fled to the desert, he would have continued to live in that comfortable place, ignorant of God's perfect will for his life.

Sometimes we see our sins as weights, black marks on our lives. The truth is that God knows we are human, and we will mess up. In His awesomeness, if we let Him, He will use our mistakes, our sins, to bring us to where we need to be in Him. Once we repent, those sins are under the blood. The blood of Jesus not only covers those sins, but it redeems us, according to Ephesians 1:7. One definition of "redeem" is, "to make something that is bad into something better." The blood doesn't change the sin, it changes us. It makes us (something "bad," because we are flesh) into something better! How powerful is that?!

There's a song I love by Lauren Daigle called, "How Can It Be?" She sings, "You plead my cause. You right my wrongs. You break my chains. You overcome. You gave Your life to give me mine. You say that I am free. How can it be?"

If you allow yourself to truly believe in the power of the blood of Jesus, you will be amazed. You'll be in awe. It really leaves you wondering, "how can it be?" It breaks me down to think about how He not only loves me and saved me, but also redeemed me. It makes no sense how Someone so powerful would love me that much.

Nothing will be wasted. You, your sins, your trials, are not wasted. God is using them to show you something, to make you into something He needs you to be (James 1:2-4). It might be the change you need to reach your lost family. It might be the change you need to reach your neighborhood. Or, it might be the change you need to reach an entire nation! Whatever it is you are going through, let the blood of Jesus redeem you, let Him break your chains, and set you free, so that you can be what He wants you to be. You are not wasted. Your trials, your pain, your storm, is not wasted. You were called into this desert place because you are wanted. He wants you. You may feel like your life is wasted. That is a lie from the enemy. Rebuke those thoughts! You must allow Him to transform your thoughts, your mind. Romans 12:2 says that we must be transformed with a renewed mind... only then can we accomplish what His perfect will is for our lives.

Your life is just beginning. Step into His Grace. Let Him set you free and feel His love wanting you.

"You say that I am free. How can it be?" ...because I am wanted, not wasted.

There is nothing like the freedom you find in Him. When you are free from the past, you are open to what He has for you in the present. When you are open to Him in the present, you have a secure future. The enemy's only tactic is to remind you of yesterday, because He knows that you are covered with new mercy every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Now, look in the mirror and say, "Jesus has redeemed me. I am free. I am wanted, not wasted." Say it until you believe it, until it is stuck in your mind, because it's true! God's Word never fails.