Your Past Prevails You
A few days ago, I found a picture of myself before I lost my hair to alopecia. I now have lived without hair longer than I have with hair. Looking at that picture made me reflect on numerous thoughts. One is that I developed a love for rock music in third grade. Some of my favorite lead singers had long, flowing hair. As a child, I wanted to start a rock band and have hair like the famous musicians I liked. We saw how that one worked out.
Another thing this picture reminded me of was how God can use our stories for His purposes. God can use our past to motivate us toward His plan. Your past does not have to define you. You do not have to live in the shame of your mistakes because God changes who we are. We surrender ourselves to Him and are characterized by God’s grace and mercies.
In December 2024, I published Look in the Mirror. I wrote this book for numerous reasons. While the premise is about losing my hair to alopecia, I also encourage readers to find their identity and confidence in Jesus. I hope my story points the readers back to the goodness of God. I hope readers see that God instills the power of resilience over past struggles because His power is greater than any trouble we may experience.
Another way I see the importance of understanding that your past prevails you is seeing how those in the Bible surrendered their lives to Jesus.
In Acts 22, Paul gives his testimony. He recounts his life before meeting Jesus and what he has done since Jesus saved him. Paul’s conversion story is found in Acts 9 when Jesus confronts him while he is traveling to Damascus. Jesus stops Paul and speaks to him. Paul acknowledges Jesus and eventually surrenders his life to Jesus.
Look at what has happened to Paul since then. God used Paul in a mighty way. Numerous times, Paul acknowledged that Jesus changed his life and that everything Paul did was for the glory of God the Father. Paul encouraged others to follow Jesus. He was so devoted to a surrendered life to Jesus that he said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
Paul could have found his identity in shame over how he murdered those who followed Jesus. Instead, he used it as part of his testimony. In the past, Paul persecuted Christians. Then, Jesus changed Paul to become one of the greatest missionaries ever.
Your past does not define you. Use it as part of your story. Show people how Jesus changed your life and why you surrendered everything to Him. Show people there is no shame and condemnation in Jesus. Then, you will find confidence in your story because Jesus became part of your life.