Many times, we look at our past mistakes and wonder, “How can God use me? How can I be beneficial to the kingdom of God?” Reading the story of Paul before he became a Christian dispels any doubt that God can and will use you. Paul passionately hated and sought out to kill Christians to the point that he went to the high priest and asked for letters that gave him permission to imprison Christians in Jerusalem. When God spoke to Ananias and told him to go to Saul, He said, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their Kings and before the people of Israel"(Acts9:15). Wow! What an awesome calling God placed on Paul's life, but in that calling God also stated, "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name" (Acts 9:16).We may not have been flogged, shipwrecked, imprisoned, stripped naked, or beaten with rods like Paul, but we go through our own daily struggles because we have made the firm determination to follow Christ with our whole heart, mind, and soul (Luke 10:27, & I Cor 11:23-27). Every time you stand for Christ the enemy will come after you vehemently because your commitment makes him to be a liar. Your dedication to live for Christ is not in vain and He will use you for His glory. Stand firm!

"For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (I John 5: l-5)