5/17/23
In last week’s episode, I shared with you a recording where I talked about how my life was re-purposed after the death of my husband. This was originally on the Life Repurposed podcast, hosted by Michelle Rayburn. Her podcast focus came from her love of repurposing old or even worn-out things and giving them new life. She saw this as an analogy for life. I agree. Sometimes things just don’t go as we’d hoped, planned, or expected. Yet, here we are. And, as I’ve often said, we have a choice as to what we do next. We can wallow in the pain of what was and what isn’t, or we can allow God to take our broken pieces and like the Kintsugi Artisan that He is, put us back together with new purpose.
The reason I want to visit this subject again, is to put a focus on YOUR life re-purposed. And I know that you don’t have to have gone through what I’ve experience to know you need to allow your life to be re-purposed. In fact, I hear this all week long with my Life Coaching clients and other Christian friends. Many times there is an embarrassment and/or shame that surrounds their past. Whether that be a distant past – like something in their early growing up years – or a more recent situation. Maybe it’s embarrassment because you grew up in poverty and were made fun of in school because of the clothes you wore. Maybe it’s shame from something in your past that you’ve done. Or maybe you grew up in a very dysfunctional family where there was fighting, divorce, and maybe even abuse of some sort. Maybe something was done to you. Or perhaps you’re the one who’s been divorced…twice. Or, like me, you’re in a situation that’s surrounded by stigmas and perhaps even judgment. Where there’s embarrassment and shame there’s a tendency to want to hide it. The problem is that hiding your past circumstances or experiences from other people doesn’t actually hide it from yourself. So then there’s a tendency to pretend or even deny it. Either way, you’re not being authentic to others or to yourself, and subsequently not able to be authentic to God.
And, again, it’s here that we have a choice as to what to do next with all this stuff. My suggestion is that you stop allowing your past, or something that you’ve done or has been done to you, keep you from your God-designed purpose. Your past does not define who you are today as a forgiven and loved child of God. But it certainly has shaped you and can point you to your future.
I think there is one truth we need to continually revisit – especially in light of our hardships. And that is that as believers, we are here to glorify God alone. The Westminster Catechism, which is a document to teach the basic doctrines of Christianity, answers the question, “What is the chief end of man?” In other words, what are we here for? What is my purpose and duty in life? The answer is: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This means that our lives have true meaning beyond ourselves, the pleasures we’re pursuing, and the hardships we’ve faced in life.
And so, we need to remember in our present life that we feel is wrecked because of our past, we will only find that true meaning when we’re pursuing our chief end - to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is why I’m convinced that all that you’ve ever been through and experienced is pointing to your re-purposed life.
God wants to use all of it. But that means that you have to come out of hiding. You have to, as I tell my Life Coaching clients, learn to become friends with your past. It is what has shaped you for the journey ahead. I’m not saying you have to like it. I’m just saying you need to accept it. Those hard things have been what has refined you, changed you, even made you more like Christ. It’s the thing that sets you up for your true meaning – to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. And maybe glorifying God looks like hosting a group of mamas in your home who have lost a child and need a healing space. Or walking alongside someone who just found out their spouse is cheating on them. Or hosting a get-away weekend for people who suffer from anxiety and depression. Writing a book on healing after significant loss. These are some of the things my past and present clients have begun doing as they’ve allowed for their own healing and let those past experiences be the catalyst that brings healing to others. Glorifying God by letting Him re-purpose their life.
And don’t ever believe that you have to be “on the other side” of your hardship, that you have to be totally healed, for God to use your story. No, in fact, your testimony is never more relevant to a dying world than when you’re smack-dab in the middle of the mess, looking for hope in all things you’re up against. Someone needs to hear from you. Someone needs to know what you know. You have something to offer someone in this world that no one else can. All because of your experiences.
So, you might be wondering how you can know what your re-purposed life would look like, or what your purpose might be in the first place. To find your purpose, it’s important to understand that your personality, your present life, your life’s experiences, your natural gifts and talents, and even the hard things you’ve been through and experienced - these all point you to your purpose. Every little thing about you. It doesn’t disqualify you but qualifies you in your purpose. It’s how God redeems broken stories to bring hope and healing to you, and to others. There is a reason you are exactly the way you are! Everything about you and everything you’ve been through is for a purpose. For a RE-purpose. Taking what looks worn out, broken, and unusable and making it new, giving it new life. Making it the focal point. Even making it a prized possession.
If you are not doing what God created for you to do because of embarrassment and shame of your past, you are playing right into the enemy’s hands in keeping you from glorifying God and enjoying Him. That’s exactly what he’s trying to get you to do. He’s trying to get you to disengage, to disarmor you, to kill, steal, and destroy the re-purpose you have on the other side of that thing…whatever it may be. Why? Because he knows your testimony of God’s forgiveness, restoration, healing, and rebuilding will destroy his kingdom and advance God’s kingdom. God intends for you play a role in the body of Christ. That’s what Romans 12:5 tells us, that we each have a different function and role to play. And you are part of the whole. Your life re-purposed directly affects the kingdom of God.
I go into a lot more detail on the topic of purpose in episodes 40 – Are You Alive? And 41 – I’m Alive. What Do I Do Now? I highly recommend you listen to those.
Friend, before we go, I want to give you some encouraging news. The things that God has designed for you to do – that re-purposed life – you don’t have to rely on yourself to carry them out. It’s His plan, so He’s going to make a way. And where you can’t, He can.
Yes, God has a new thing for you on the other side of that thing. It’s not for your glory but for His. That’s why he’ll do it. In Isaiah 43:19 God says, “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.” Did you hear that? God says He Himself is making the way. He is doing the new thing. The re-purposed thing. All you need to do is make friends – accept – the past and partner with God in re-purposing that which feels old, worn out, and broken. Let Him take the old and make it new.
This is what He does with our messy past. Be encouraged, friend: God is doing a new thing – your life re-purposed - for His glory and your enjoyment of Him forever!
Hey friend, are you in a situation today where you’re looking at your life and you think it’s just wrecked, too messy, all because of what you’ve experienced in your past? I’d love to help you get some healing here so that you, too, can find your re-purposed life. There’s a link in the show notes to book a free 30-minute call at your convenience so we can see if we’re a good fit to work together.
Also, a great place to start with your life re-purposed is to grab the Guide that will help you work through it step by step. The link is in the show notes, as well.
Have a wonderful week, friends. See you next Wednesday for the next episode of Another Beautiful Life.
SHOW NOTES:
Is your past a bit too messy, feels broken and worn out? Is it keeping you from moving forward in your life? Today’s topic is all about how God takes all of those past experiences – all the things that you’re embarrassed about and bring you shame - and re-purposes them for His glory and your good. Your life -repurposed.
Get the work-alone Guide here: https://www.triciazody.com/guide
Read the Podcast transcript here: https://www.triciazody.com/podcasttranscripts
Are you wondering how Life Coaching works? Would you like a free, 30-minute session? Click this link to set up a Consult Call: https://calendly.com/triciazodylifecoach/30min
