Your past is not chasing you. You are inviting your past into your current which is limiting your future.
“Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.” Acts 14:8-10 ESV
The desire for change, real change is too often limited by the lack of faith. Real faith. Faith that was illustrated by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in that furnace. By David in front of Goliath. By Ruth when she followed Naomi. By Mary when she accepted her miraculous pregnancy. There is a miraculous book, made up of 66 books that shares the stories of everyday people like you and me, who did miraculous things because they had a mustard seed of faith that moved the mountains in front of them.
“But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:19-22 ESV
One day Paul and Barnabas were literally called Zeus and Hermes because of the miracles that God had allowed them to perform on a man who had faith. Then shortly thereafter, Paul was stoned and left for dead. Why are we surprised or in the moment defeated when the World lashes out loudly or quietly and subtly rejects us, God’s child?
We see the children of Israel turning a 12 day walk into a 40 year journey because they lacked? Anyone? Faith! As I work with men desiring to overcome drug, alcohol, porn, sex addiction a common theme is “you don’t know what I have done.” Correct. But God does and he loves each of us with a love too marvelous, too true, too filled with Grace and Mercy to understand. We can only accept with a faith that does not require seeing but expects to experience. And when we accept, truly accept, God releases the Holy Spirit into our lives to empower us to walk into the life of purpose, power and example that we were created for. When Paul was stoned at Lystra, he did not shy away. He walked by into the city the next day and continued his ministry mission.
The reception of our life’s purpose through Jesus Christ cannot be measured by the World’s response. Our life is measured by our commitment to our purpose regardless of response. Whether called to sit with one person or speak to thousands, faith leads out of defeat. Faith empowers us to blow horns, walk around the city six days and on the seventh, seven times and faith, only faith causes the walls of fear to fall down.
“And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” Acts 14:27 ESV