Have you ever felt as though you were walking around with this big “L” on your forehead? You know…the hand put to the forehead with the thumb and index finger forming an “L.” I’m sure you know that is the sign for “Loser.”

Admittedly, I have had those times:

• Moving to become the 3rd person on staff only to watch the 2nd man leave for another church and then after a month goes by being asked to exit. Total ministry length there: 13 months.
• Moving from there to a church in a small town with 25 people in the church only to realize less than 4 months in that I made the wrong move as their legalism choked me and I burned out.  Length of ministry there: 16 long months.
• Moving from there and have a seemingly good 3 years end up with a secret meeting and a “you have until August” (This was April) with no explanation given except I wasn’t conservative enough doctrinally. (I didn’t believe in baptism as being necessary to be saved).

I could give you other failures. Personally. Professionally. Spiritually. Tasks unfinished. Relationships ripped apart. Arrogance running rampant. I can’t place the blame on the leaders or individuals responsible for the above actions. I was complicit too. I had to learn some very valuable lessons that as I look back now God had been trying to teach me all along. I also can see this principle come into play: “Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.” (Pr.24:19-20)  I had to trust that God “got this.” I had to trust that He would take this wreck and make him useful.

I can point to Peter-disciple, loud-mouth, leader, deny-er, failure-as proof. Those last two. WOW! But God wasn’t going to let him wear the “L” label. He was going to take Peter from an “L” to a “W.”

“Father, thank you for not seeing me as an “L.” Thank you for saving me. For rescuing me. For recycling me into being useful for You.”