Friends! I am so pumped to share with you a guest post from one of my favorite bloggers, Joy Pedrow Ministries! Even though her ministry is geared towards women, everyone can learn from Joy’s fantastic writing and her beautiful heart for sharing what Jesus has done in her life. Click here for one of my favorite posts by her.
This month we’re doing something crazy cool! We both wrote a post on something most of us have come across: past sexual sin in a relationship – Does it matter? Do Christian guys care? Do Christian girls care? You can see my post here over on her blog and you can read hers below!
I am so blessed to have Joy as my blogger friend. Her ministry is so well established and is such an inspiration for what I hope to accomplish someday. Subscribe to her posts or follow her on twitter, Instagram or Facebook. You won’t be disappointed! Seriously. Do it!
So without further adieu, I am so happy to share with you:
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“You Are NOT Defined by Your Past – A Woman’s Perspective”
As a woman who has felt shame from her past, I understand how you feel. But if you are a follower of Jesus, you are made new. Your past no longer defines you. Jesus has forgiven you and made you white as snow. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). And the same way Jesus views you is how a Godly man should view you.
If you struggle believing this, know this truth – a Godly man will view you through the eyes of Jesus. A true follower of Jesus will see you as a pure daughter of God. This is possible because God restores our brokenness and redeems our past of sexual sin. Because God forgives us, so can our husband.
Jerusalem is a perfect example of redemption. In Ezekiel 16, God describes Jerusalem and compares the city to an adulterous wife. Jerusalem represents you and I. Take a minute and read Ezekiel 16. (Click here to read the chapter online.)
In this chapter, God explains his relationship with the city and his relationship with us. God punishes Jerusalem for her sins. She feels shame and regret, just like you feel. But what does God do – he restores. God restores all the brokenness. I want to explore this chapter to help you understand how God restored Jerusalem and how he restores you.
We were born into a world of sin and shame, yet God covered our naked body (Ezekiel 16:8). He entered into a covenant with us. And we became his daughters. And then he lavished us with blessings (Verses 9-13). He placed a crown on your head and you became a princess with Jesus as your king.
Because of the sin in the world, even as princesses – we tend to think we are still not happy. Verse 15 explains, “But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute.” Our beauty was God’s, but we freely gave it away to others in the hopes of finding happiness. When we sin sexual, we are taking everything God gives us, including our bodies, and make idols. Sound familiar? Have you hooked up with a guy in the hopes of finding happiness?
When you sin sexually, you become a prostitute. We are all prostitutes when we are unfaithful to God. And when we are unfaithful, we forget how God is faithful. We forget the covenant and promise that God made to us back in the beginning. Instead of focusing on God, we focus on us.
I wanted to point out the seriousness of our sin to help you understand the seriousness of our redemption. We are prostitutes who deserve to be punished. We prefer hook ups and temporary pleasures over obeying our God. Yet God promised to redeem and restore.
“However, I will restore” (Ezekiel 16:53). Even after all of Jerusalem’s sin, God said he would restore the city.
God remembers the covenant he made with us and he will continue to establish this everlasting covenant.
Because God restores us, we are made new.
Because God redeems us, Godly men can see us the way Jesus does.
Because God forgives us, so can our husband.
You are NOT defined by your past. Jesus has made you white as snow, and thus when a Godly man looks at you he should see a pure daughter of God.
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Joy Pedrow is a recent college grad who experienced Jesus in college and surrendered her life to him. Jesus has brought her redemption, healing, hope, and a purpose. She feels called to encourage and help women in their walks with the Lord through her blog and ministry, Joy Pedrow Ministries. You can check out her blog: http://joypedrow.com/ or find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Joy invites you to join her on this life long journey of pursuing Jesus.