Your greatest failures can become your greatest testimonies.

Throughout the New Testament Paul shows us how he used his less than perfect past to motivate and propel him forward into a fruitful future. Paul, a man, who dedicated his life to the destruction of the church, wrote the majority of what we now refer to as the New Testament. His infamous past gave him credibility and a platform of association upon which he could share the gospel with those who were in darkness, just as he was. Paul used his Roman citizenship to gain audience with the gentiles and their rulers. He used his status as a Pharisee to be heard by the Jewish people and their religious leaders. Paul's years of living in one of the strictest sects of Judaism gave him a unique understanding of the issues faced by those bound by the law and legalism. It equipped him to effectively minister and preach the gospel of liberty to them. Paul was a living testimony of the transforming power of God. He was irrefutable evidence that Christ can deliver anyone. Some of Paul's greatest faults and failures became his most successful evangelical tools. Paul's conversion caused others to ponder, "If Christ can use someone like Paul, then certainly there is hope for me." The same zeal Paul used to destroy the church, he likewise used to build it. His past provided him with the passion he needed to be successful in what he was called to do.

You may be asking, "Is it possible for me to do as Paul did, and use my failures to advance the Kingdom of God?" My answer is an emphatic YES! Not only is it possible, it is necessary. Everything you have experienced in life has a purpose. Every failure, trial and setback has potential buried within it. There is a ministry that you are uniquely qualified for as a result of your past. Your past can either empower or imprison you. What you do with your past may determine how far you will go in your future.

What you've experienced and endured in your past may have been painful at the time, but those experiences will mean the most to you in your ministry. Paul says: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). The key is seeking God's purpose and plan for your life. Once you begin to pursue your God given purpose, things that where formally burdens and barriers will become building blocks upon which you can glorify God. Once we've sought His purpose for our lives, God transforms our past trials into powerful testimonies that we can use to touch the lives of others.

Like Paul, you can use your past as platforms of association to reach those that don't know Christ as Savior. There is someone somewhere who needs the ministry that God has placed within you. They need to know that something good can come out of their bad past and situation. Don't be ashamed of what God has delivered you from. You were brought out of it so that you can minister to those who are going through it. It may be a family member or a total stranger who can benefit from the wisdom gained from the path you've had to walk. People may not forgive you for what you've done, but you can give them something praiseworthy to remember. Use the wisdom gleaned from your past experiences to glorify God and propel you forward into your future.