What a Mess!

I saw this picture floating around on facebook the other day. I couldn’t help but adore it. Only God can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony, a trial into a triumph, and a victim into a victory…. WOW! This is something that people need to think about. Life is hard, there are challenges. However, through Christ all things are possible. 

This is a lesson that I am still learning. It would be very easy for me to sit back and wallow in the fact that I had a hard childhood. In fact, I spent a long time doing exactly that. I would not go to church and get involved because I don’t want “those people” to ask about my family and think of me as a VICTIM of the TRIALS and TESTS.  I couldn’t bring my friends home because I didn’t want them to see the MESS. I wasted years of my life being embarrassed and ashamed of my past, when all I need to do was give it to God.


In making the choice to give my hurts over to God, I let go of the burden of my past. Yes, it was hard, yes it was ugly. I cannot stand a mess! But God has a plan for me. Through the mess of my family I am learning how to work with (and minister to) broken families; thus turning my mess into a possible MESSAGE. My parents and I had some very difficult times, testing my faith in God. Now, my TESTIMONY is that much more influential. Through my testimony I am able to give hope to other women and children from tough situations. These are the people who might not be able to connect with someone from a “traditional” family. Through my trials I was made so much stronger. By overcoming adversity the trials became TRIUMPHS; this has been essential in forming my walk with Christ. Last but certainly not least, God took the broken version of me, the victim and is using me to his glory. I would call that a VICTORY, wouldn’t you?


The important thing to remember is that you cannot make these changes on your own. By my own power I could tackle one of these at a time, at best. Even then, I failed multiple times. But then I found Christ. With God’s help, you can overcome your mess, trials, tests, and you do NOT have to be a victim. Matthew 19:26 says that “Jesus looked at them and said, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” God is big enough to handle all of your problems, you just have to hand them over and let him work on you.