I Forgot I Was Chosen

I type tonight in a strange place. An old miner's hospital turned retreat center. A place where healing was once it's purpose. A place where people come to heal and be healed, even today. A place that is bigger than these stone walls. A place where people need to be loved. A place where people need hope. A place where people need a second chance. A place not all that different from the home I left this morning. Sure, the people are different, the accents are different, the landscape is different, but one thing remains the same: need still exists.

Over the past few days, I've been focusing on my need...doubting that God even knows or cares about my need. I've lived selfishly. I've made some pretty bad decisions. I've deliberately sinned. I've doubted God's promises. I've doubted God's love. I've even doubted God's goodness. I decided that my need was more important than God's will. I hurt someone else. I was wrong, and I moved forward trying to fulfill my need even when I knew I was wrong. How could I let this happen? It happened because I failed to see myself as God sees me, as one chosen and made righteous.

In Colossians 3:12 we are instructed to clothe ourselves with righteousness, but over the past few days I've not just failed to "dress appropriately." I traded my clothing of righteousness for rags. To continue with the clothing metaphor, I traded Saks 5th Avenue for Ross and TJ Maxx! I convinced myself that I deserved better than what God was offering but I failed to see that what God offers is far better than anything my human mind can conceive. I forgot that I was chosen. I forgot that I am set apart. So here I am in this strange place, a place with a legacy of healing, asking my God to show His healing power once again. I am not so different than those I have come here to serve. I need healing...many of them need healing. I need to be loved...many of them need to be shown love. I need to be reminded that I was chosen...they need to know they were chosen.  Chosen by the creator of this universe to be set apart, holy, special, and for a purpose. Our mistakes from yesterday don't have to define us. Every need we have can be fulfilled through Him.

So in this strange place I find a familiar peace in a magnificent God. I pray that I will be able to share that same peace with others in need.