At War With Self-Doubt

One of the traps, one of the pitfalls we succumb to as leaders or even as potential leaders is our PAST. It can be difficult to see beyond the things we’ve done, the words we’ve said, the people we’ve hurt, the mistakes we’ve made. We’re continually looking backwards, glancing over our shoulders, stuck in the if only’s, what if’s…overwhelmed with regrets.

How could God possibly use someone like ME?

Grab your Bible, open up YouVersion, however you get in God’s word do it…open up to the book of Revelation. Skip over the chapter 21. Locate verse 5. Here Jesus describes the things to COME, the things we have to LOOK FORWARD TO. I want to focus on one specific verse, one specific phrase:

Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
Revelation 21:5a NKJV (emphasis mine)

This is the HOPE we have in Christ. In Jesus we are MADE NEW. I can just imagine Jesus sitting on that throne, looking down upon his people, looking at my past hurts, habits, and hang-ups, seeing the self-doubt within my heart, and proclaiming BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW! He will set you free from the captivity of your past. He will break the chains that hold you down. He will take your burdens and give you rest. He will make you NEW. This is the SIGNIFICANCE of Celebrate Recovery.

Now, I know that some of you might read this and think, “Hold on. Jesus is speaking of things to COME…I’m struggling right NOW. What about RIGHT NOW?” Read this.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV (emphasis mine)

This verse speaks of the PRESENT. This verse speaks to the potential of your life RIGHT NOW. Paul says here that if you are IN Christ, you are a NEW CREATION. This isn’t speaking of a time that’s to come. This isn’t speaking of a future possibility. This moment. Right now. Where you are. As you are. The OLD has gone, the NEW has come.

Again, this is the SIGNIFICANCE of Celebrate Recovery. With Jesus at the center, people are being MADE NEW. It’s not about sobriety. It’s about recovery. It’s about restoration. It’s about finding a life that you never knew was available. It’s about crossing over from death into LIFE.

At Celebrate Recovery you learn that your past is not an OBSTACLE, it’s an OPPORTUNITY. At Celebrate Recovery you learn that God CAN use you in spite of the things you’ve done, the things you’ve said, the people you’ve hurt…because His GLORY is revealed through the work He’s done and is DOING in your life. God turns your mess into a message.

So leaders, I’ll even go so far as to say potential leaders, be encouraged that you are WORTHY and ABLE because Jesus makes ALL THINGS NEW.  Remember, it’s HIS story, HIS power, HIS strength, HIS grace. HIS mercies flowing through you. You can stand up and share your testimony because of HIS power. You can lead an Open-Share group because of HIS grace. You can teach a lesson because of HIS work in you.

Are you struggling with your past? Are you struggling with self-worth? Are you struggling to see how God could possibly ever use you?

God, give us the faith to trust what You say. God, help us to TRUST that, in Jesus, we are a NEW CREATION.