Psalm 138: Have I fallen too far for God to use me?

by Peter Roxburgh

Psalm 138 (NIV)

The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. (vs 8)

I look back at my life and there are many things that I wish I could change. I see years wasted drifting aimlessly making endless mistakes. The danger, which I often have to fight, is falling down a spiral of regret, unable and unwilling to let Hope pull me out.

I often think that I have wasted too much time, made too many mistakes, disqualified myself, not got the right personality or the best character, not strong enough or driven enough, not ambitious enough, not perfect enough to do what God has called me to.

And that is exactly where the enemy wants me. Focussed on my failures, my weaknesses when actually I can also see the incredible change that God has worked in me over the last few years. Sure it has been slow change but there has definitely been change - I don't think my wife would have put up with me for so long if I was still the same as when we got married.

I need to keep reminding myself that 'He who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it'.(Phil 1:6) I just have to be humble enough to accept the need to change. I remember I went through a season of going forward for prayer every Sunday at the end of church regardless of what the ministry was for. It was just me fighting the pride of "what will people think of me?" and instead humbling myself and desperate enough to ask God to come and change me.

I declare today that The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me (v8), and the same can be true for you no matter how far you have fallen, what you have done and where you think you are. You and I just need to be humble enough for God to change us (rarely a pain-free process) and then accept the truth that God can use us.

God is bigger than your weaknesses, your failures, your past, your wasted years. As long as you are willing to humble yourself to change and be used by Him, He will fulfil His purpose for you.

This song 'Second Chance' by Rend Collective Experiment is a powerful song. If you haven't heard it before take a few minutes to listen and revel in the truth. I particularly love the last verse:

"Fragments of brokenness
Salvaged by the art of grace
You craft life from our mistakes

Black skies of my regrets
Outshone by this kindness
New life dawns over my soul"