No take backs

“…for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29

 I love this verse. If you are anything like me, then you haven’t always led the most Christ-centered life. There was a time that I lived my life on my own terms. I still had some form of Christianity, I mean, I still believed in God and Jesus and the whole nine yards, but I didn’t live in obedience with the will of God. I guess I “lost my religion” for a while.

 When I came back to the Lord and decided to really devote my life to him, not just talk about it, I was filled with remorse over who I was and how I had behaved. It’s hard to accept grace and forgiveness sometimes. I wondered: “Would God ever use me in an important way?” “Have I squandered away my talents?” “Is it possible for me to ever affect someone for God in a me...aningful way?” “Does God still have big plans for me, after all I have done?”

 In short, the answer is YES.

 God led me to this verse over a year ago, and it’s been an important component of my spiritual armor. You see, if God has called you – you will ALWAYS be called. If God has given you a gifting, you will ALWAYS have that gifting. (Irrevocable means unable to be changed, reversed or altered.) Now, understand this – you may ignore the call on your life and you may choose not to use your gifts – those are YOUR choices. But God doesn’t change his mind and take them back. He doesn’t necessarily bless you with more gifts or responsibility if you don’t use what you’ve already been given, but he doesn’t take them back.

 Why do I bring this up? So many of us feel as if we are trapped by our circumstances, our past or our actions. We feel like God can’t or won’t use us, or that he has given up on us – like he is capable of being surprised by our actions. God knew what we were going to do in our lives before we were even born – and called us anyway.

 If you feel like you aren’t capable of having an extraordinary, meaningful or impactful life because you have made mistakes and disappointed God, guess what? You’re in great company. Abraham, David, Moses, Peter and Rahab (to name just a few) all made a few mistakes along the way, and God still worked through them. Just like He’ll work through you, if you let him.

 

God thinks you're awesome! Try to start getting used to that idea, and I'll see you next time.

~RJC