Many in church leadership have been directly affected by abortion personally or through a close family member or friend. Many haven’t dealt with their own abortion story. They might feel unqualified or hypocritical. The pain could be too close to home or too difficult to address, even in their own churches. There is an abundance of healing the Lord wants to pour over church leaders in this area.
Perhaps this resonates with you—maybe this is your story. The enemy of your soul wants to define you and write your identity. He wants you to live in regret and shame over your past decision. He wants you to hide in defeat, yet God has called you to so much more. His grace and mercy offer wholeness and redemption.
May I have a moment where my heart can speak deeply to yours? So much happens in this life journey that attempts to define who you are. I see it in your face. You carry insecurity, doubt, shame, guilt, sorrow, confusion, frustration, hopelessness and more. God never intended you to live that way. He had, or should I say has, so much more for you. Don’t listen to the lies that have been spoken over you. Don’t listen to the reminders of your regretful decisions. And, don’t let your past pain define you.
As you walk from repentance to salvation, you’ve been ushered into redemption and wholeness. From the beginning of time, your loving Creator sculpted your very being into existence. There was no mistake. You are no accident. You were uniquely destined to live your life as an honored image-bearer of the Almighty God. You were destined to shine, so when people see your life, they will be introduced to the glory of God. Your identity does not come from what you feel. Your true identity can only come from your Creator.
How your Heavenly Father longs to pull you into His loving arms, wipe away every tear, every hurt, every feeling of shame and guilt, and restore you to His righteousness. He patiently waits for you to seek Him and allow Him to reshape you into the individual you were created to be. Don’t fear Him; don’t run from Him, for He is so very good. He delights in you and longs to see you walk into the beautiful purposes He has for you. As your Creator, He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows what you need and what your heart truly longs for. Trust Him. Open your heart completely to Him and watch as He gently reminds you of your true identity.
Perhaps you think you’ve done too much and gone too far. The truth of the matter is that we can never run away from His redemptive work. There is nothing stronger, and more loving, than what Jesus Christ did on the cross, and if we think there’s no way God could forgive us, then in essence, we’re saying that we’re stronger and more powerful than God. And that’s not possible! No sin, no compromise, and no failure could ever have more power than the work of the cross. To suggest that God is too weak, and that His work on the cross wasn’t enough, is to believe one of the Enemy’s greatest lies.
If abortion is part of your story and you are struggling to move forward, remember this. God desires that you walk in forgiveness and wholeness, being completely healed. It may be helpful to go through a post-abortion Bible study (see Resources), to daily renew your mind with God’s truth and walk in His grace and mercy. As you receive His healing, you will be a conduit of God’s healing to others. Today is your day of freedom.
Excerpts from this post are taken from All Things New: Finding New Life Through Forgiveness. For more information on this book, click HERE.
