Vince Deagler

having spent the past 2 posts trying to understand why something like the AZ shooting could occur, i would like to shift gears in a very positive direction.  the downside of life outside the garden is evil exists.  it rears its ugly head within us, and around us all the time.  we have hurt others and been hurt.  is there an answer?

thankfully there is.  the bible teaches god is love.  in his love he developed a plan of redemption.  within this plan god unleashes his grace, so that we who are broken experience god’s re-creative work in our lives and we literally become “new creations”.  when paul wrote to the corinthians about their past evil and ugliness, he says something powerful, that inspires hope for all of us.  and that is what some of you were, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified… (1 cor 6:9-11).  we really can look at ourselves through the lens of…i am not who i ought to be, i am not who i’m gonna be, but praise god i am not who i once was.  we are not perfect, but we are forgiven, and we are in the process of transformation.  it is similar to paul who referred to himself as the foremost of sinners, but he found a new identity and purpose in christ.  so can you.

you do not have to spend the rest of your life living in pain, shame, regret, or guilt.  we can bring all that to jesus…and i hope you do.