Letting Go of Old Labels and Stepping into Faith

“Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you.” – 2 Corinthians 1:6 NLT

The world loves labels.

They love to quickly identify and tag people—wounded, broken, strong, capable. They’ve either qualified or disqualified a person in just a few seconds. If you’ve ever been mislabeled, you know how frustrating it can be. Fortunately, God’s kingdom doesn’t work that way! In Him, there is a different currency, a different way to define a life. Your past does not disqualify you. Instead, through the power of Jesus Christ, your past experiences can qualify and empower you to help someone else.

There’s just one hitch.

If you’ve allowed yourself to become bitter or callous, hard-hearted and unbelieving, this wonderful interaction won’t happen. If your wounds are still festering and infecting every relationship, every interaction, then you’ve allowed the enemy of your soul to win. Through your sharp bristles and even sharper tongue, you’ve declared to the world that you are damaged goods. Almost like a badge of honor, you’ve allowed a disqualifying mark to be stamped on your forehead—whether out of pain, self-protection, or self-defense—and you plan to take this pain to the grave.

Then there are those who have been through the fire, but there’s no smoke on their clothes.

They may have been battered and beaten, but the wounds have been healed. Their life is not dictated by pain or revenge; they’ve been healed, cleansed, made whole by the power of God. They’ve decided that they will not – cannot – carry this pain any longer and have laid it at the foot of the cross.

Where are you on the dial?

What labels define your life? If brokenhearted, damaged, or bitter rules over healed, restored and sweet, then it’s time to bring your pain to the Lord. I pray a gift of faith for you to believe in the miracle God can do to redeem your life. Let His comfort come to you. Let His strength empower, equip and qualify you to comfort someone else.

You don’t have to look far to find a hurting person.

Do you see the single mom struggling to make it on her own? Can you empathize with the battered woman wondering if her life has value? Have you lived through that? Can you comfort her?

Do you see the teenage girl trying to find herself in a confused society? Did you find your way through a troubled or turbulent childhood? Have you lived through that pain?

Let your past empower you.

Become the hands and heart of Jesus and reach out with a word, a touch, a helping hand. Even a small gesture can help them know they are not alone. They are seen. Things will get better if they look to the Lord.

Someone needs your prayer, your voice of comfort and encouragement.

What you have suffered through can ease someone else’s suffering if you first trust God to heal you—and then trust Him to work through your life. Take the hand of someone near you and lead them to the One who can heal their pain. Comfort them with the comfort you have received.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3