At some point, we have all found ourselves in a place of pain. My tattoo was something that I loved so much. It was my wedding date… I never wanted to not be married, & I never wanted to change my tattoo. But there came a time in this last year where I found myself abandoned- rejected- cheated on- lied to- & in pain.

Yet I decided to not be labeled by this pain- I chose to be a person of promise… I am not a victim, I am victorious & you cannot be rejected when God has already chosen you! So I changed my tattoo- Not because I didn’t want to be reminded of pain… But because I wanted to see on my physical body the promise of who God created me to be. Even when my husband chose to not be faithful to our promise, I would still be faithful to my promise to God- Represented in my tattoo, it once represented my dream | the man I loved | the life I loved… But it now & really always had represented  who God created me to be. These flowers mean: [Grace, Uncompromising Love, Faithfulness, Honorable, Beauty, Devotion.]- This is who I am & who I choose to be.

I will not be defined by what someone has done to me. I will not be confined by how people see me or what my situation looks like. I WILL be who God created me to be. I WILL give God glory in all of my life… The good- bad- worst- best… HE GETS IT ALL.

We like to quantify or measure pain. But pain is pain… & it is never awesome to have pain in your life. One of the greatest things about God is that He always has a purpose in our pain. It is very easy & tempting to get focused on our pain & how it doesn’t make sense… & we question how any good can come out of it. Let me give you an insight into pain- The enemy wants to use pain to to set you up & destroy you… But God actually sees our pain as an opportunity to set you up- to deliver you & give you dominion to help others be delivered as well.

Something that I love… Is that while the enemy has a plan to harm you- GOD HAS A PLAN TO HEAL YOU. Even in the midle of  your worst situation or circumstance… Pain has a purpose when it is surrendered to God.

I think one of the misconceptions about walking with God is that once we accept Jesus or choose to do good things for God- We seem to think our issues shold disappear & that things will become easy or perfect & bad things will not happen. Yet if you look at the life of Jesus, He lived the most perfect human life ever lived… But He was the most rejected, He was betrayed, & even killed.

God never leaves us in pain & He has an incredible purpose through it- Yet we are not immune or excused from pain… We do however have an amazing advocate and redeemer in it! I do not want to make you think I am saying that you need to expect it. But I am saying- Why are we so surprised when the enemy wants us to be defeated, when he tries to shut us down?!?

YOU ARE A WEAPON IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

The devil is intimidated by you, by the power that resides inside of you. So when bad things happen… Don’t be surprised. You may have to work through learning how to surrender it… Yet you can know that God turns what we think is negative into the greatest positives in our life.

When you follow God… It’s not just in a moment, it’s not one simple prayer. It is an everyday lifestyle to say- I GIVE MY ALL. The only reason we don’t see Gods ALL working in all of our life- Is because we do not | have not given Him the authority in all we are & have.

I want to challenge you to live your life with the understanding that when you are a weapon- Of course the enemy is going to try to dull you | to dim you | to shut you down… BUT AS A WEAPON- The enemy cannot take away the power in you because it does not belong to him… but since he cannot steal your power,  he will try to convince you that you are not powerful or worthy… He will try to get you to stop in the middle of your pain.

Because if you stop in the middle of the your pain- You cannot reach the promise. A burden is something we all have in life… Burden means to carry- to birth. Especially as women, God created us to carry and to create for the kingdom… But to carry or to birth something is nor convenient and it’s NEVER comfortable.

(ECCLESIASTES 3:10-11)

“I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.”

God knows what He can do in and through us… He knows what it takes for us to develop the beauty that comes from our pain. He makes everything beautiful in His time. But one thing you should know in following God… He doesn’t ask you for one moment or one season or one thing… If anyone ever asked Jesus in the bible what it took to follow Him- He always replied with give it ALL away, give it ALL up.

So if you want to know your next steps… If you are in pain or even if everything is great- What you want (give it all away) if you have a path you wanna take (give it all up.) & ask God what He has for you before, in the middle, & at the end…

We say we trust God. BUT DO YOU REALLY? Does your life truly prove that you trust God? Not just when things are good & not just when things are bad… ALL THE TIME!

Can I ask you, try it! The truth is that our value does not lie in how we see our self or how others see us- It lies in how God sees us! So when we trust God, you can rest in knowing our God has a plan. Even when things are ending, even when you cannot see how these negative things can turn into good… Know that GOD BRINGS AN END TO CERTAIN THINGS SO HE CAN GIVE YOU A NEW BEGINNING. A God beginning…

He won’t just turn your pain into promise… It is the pain that tries to distract us from the promise.

THE PROMISE NEVER CHANGED.

So if you have a scar | a tattoo | a label | a broken heart… Give it ALL to God, let Him reshape | redesign | repurpose all you have & that pain, that hurt, your disappointment… Will end up becoming the most beloved, grateful, & wonderful gift in your life. This is exactly what my tattoo represents in my life & that’s what I believe your reminders that used to hurt you, will end up becoming a reminder of Gods faithfulness.

(REVELATION 21:5)

“The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.'”

Every time I look at my arm. I am not hurt- I am not sad… I’m not missing out! God UPGRADED me! & now I have a physical reminder of Gods redemption, of His goodness… That He loved me so much- He delievered me- He protected me & God wants the same for you!

What the enemy meant to be a wound | a hurt | a scar… Will now be a beautiful reminder of His faithfulness- The thing the enemy thought would destroy you… Will be the proof of just how much God loves you & just like me I believe you will cherish what He has given you in exchange more than what you ever thought you lost!

Our worst pain with the help of Jesus end up becoming indicators of our VICTORY!