God turned my past into a purpose

​As I sat in Sunday School a few weeks ago, with my head bowed reflecting on the word I was reading, I heard a voice reverberate so thunderously in my heart that it startled me.

The voice was blaringly loud, as if it had been announced over the loudspeakers. I lifted my head surprised to see that no one else was taken aback. Because I swear everyone should have heard that voice. However, all was calm in the class.

And so began my encounter with God.

I heard God speak loud and clear with a short message that would have changed me more than people may know. Three powerful, commanding words: "Go and share!"

I became overwhelmed with emotion. I was awestruck that God had spoken to me at all, but even more so at the three words I heard. Go and share? I asked God go and share what?

Then it hit me. Fear immediately overwhelmed me, and I sank into my chair, trembling at what I thought God might be asking. I began to question God, "Surely, you can't mean share my past, Lord. Surely, you don't mean go and share what I prefer to keep secret." Yet, that is exactly what He meant. Well of course I didn’t like that idea and even asked God can’t someone else share their past? God said, “No, I need you to share your past.” I tried to find ever excuse of why I should not share my past at all.

First of all, I didn’t even want to be sitting there much less share! I was invited to this Sunday School by an old friend from my old Sunday school class…from my past. I didn't want to be transparent or vulnerable. I gratefully accepted His forgiveness and healing, but I wasn't ready to accept His call to give me a purpose. However, God continued to speak to me and told me to share. So, I did what I didn’t want to do and that was to share my past. The funny thing is after I shared I had a guy came up to me and wanted to chat and ask how I got to this point. I was able to share the story of what God did for me. I may never know who my story impacted that day but they now know what God can do for them.
 
The man who was healed from demon possession in Luke 8:37-39 experienced similar feelings.
This tormented man lived as an outcast for many years, naked and alone in the tombs of Gadara, near Galilee. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees and shouted at the top of his voice, begging for mercy from God. Jesus commanded the demons to leave him and then cast them into a herd of pigs that rushed down the steep bank into a lake and drowned. The man was healed physically, but more importantly, spiritually.

He was so overwhelmed with gratitude for what Jesus had done, he begged to travel with Jesus and stay by His side. But Jesus had other plans. Instead, Jesus told him to go and share his story. And he did.

What had once been a burden to bear became a powerful story of transformation. This man's past, and the healing he experienced, became the foundation of a purpose in life that he would have never imagined — living his life as proof of the life-changing power of Jesus.

The man's story became a testimony when he was willing to share it with others. How many people believed in Jesus and are now spending eternity with Him simply because this former demon-possessed man willingly allowed his terrible past to become a story of redemption and purpose?

People can deny Christ, dispute Scripture and ignore prophecy, but they cannot deny, dispute or ignore God's transformational power in someone's life. Our stories of pain, adversity and overcoming in Christ are meant to serve as a testimony of God's faithfulness and power, evidence that God really can take what the devil meant for evil and use it for good.

I've since learned it is always God's desire for us to go and share our stories, whether we want to or not.

God never wastes our pain. Only we do that. God has a plan for great purpose and a beautiful future for all who believe in Him. Not despite our past, but because of it.